In the first round of the Copa del Rey, which took place on Saturday night, Real Madrid defeated Arandina with a resounding victory thanks to goals scored by Joselu, Brahim Diaz, and Rodrygo Goes.
Due to the tenacious defense of the home team, the men in white were unable to break the tie until the 54th minute, despite the fact that they were dominating in every facet of the game. Los Blancos emerged triumphant as the opposition began to lose steam, despite the fact that the gap in quality grew more apparent.
When Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media after his team’s victory by a score of 3-1 on the evening, he emphasized how remarkable it was to take part in a match that was as exceptional as the Copa del Rey opening in front of a stadium that was electric with excitement.
“It has not cost us the game, and it is our job,” the coach said. A night was set aside for them to take pleasure in Real Madrid here. The environment is pleasant, and we have been made to feel welcome. With us, La Arandina has been an outstanding experience. Despite the fact that the Kings celebrated them in a different manner, the players themselves were pleased.
The manager acknowledged that the lower-ranked club put up a serious fight in the first half of the game, while also praising the effort that the opponent had put out.
This is the best that La Arandina could have done. Due to the fact that they were coordinated, it was costly for us in the beginning. Due to the fact that they have decreased the physical level, taking the second step has been less difficult.
He went on to say, “They have proposed a match in which I would have done the same if I had been their coach,” which is a significant compliment for the Arandina coach given the circumstances.
Arda Guler made his long-awaited debut in the Real Madrid jerseys on that particular evening. Not only did he start, but he also created one significant opportunity and struck the crossbar once. The following is what he had to say about his thoughts on the debut of the Turkish phenom:
“Arda Guler has done an excellent job of making time. The most essential thing was to practise playing with the team as often as possible. Improvements in both your physical level and intensity will occur gradually over time. Although we need to exercise patience with him, he has already shown that he is of high quality in the first part.
“The fact that he has come back is very significant. It is to his credit that he possesses both personality and character. In addition, he stated that although he possesses quality with his left leg, character is an essential component for him to succeed at Real Madrid.
In the following section, Ancelotti provided his analysis of Brahim Diaz’s performance on the night, which, despite having some difficulties, was decisive in many respects.
Despite the fact that he has failed to complete a number of passes, he emerged victorious in the penalty kick, in the second goal, and in the assist for the third goal. The game got off to a good start for us, but thereafter, we failed to make passes, and we lost some of our control. In the second half, we make the necessary adjustments.
Regarding Eduardo Camavinga, who is also returning from injury, the manager expressed a great deal of optimism regarding his current level of fitness and level of performance in preparation for the hectic schedule that lies ahead.
It was in the first part that he received a blow to the back. The knee is in excellent condition, but it did bother him a little bit. He has returned, he is doing well, and he will be available for the team’s upcoming games.
Following that, a question was posed to the coach of Real Madrid regarding the extensive list of injuries sustained by the team, as well as whether or not he believed that the team was lacking personnel in any particular department.
Despite the fact that Tchouameni is a pivot, it will be the central location in the event of an emergency. On the other hand, Nacho has returned. Mendy will also be returning tomorrow and will be eligible for the Super Cup. My objective is to identify the best eleven to win each game,” he said, stressing that his current resources were sufficient.
Looking forward, Real Madrid are ready to take on Atletico Madrid in the semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup. Ancelotti previewed the tournament and his team’s prospects of collecting the trophy.
“I don’t know if we are favourites. It is a short tournament, we are enthusiastic and we are close to winning it. It is also short for Atlético, Barcelona and Osasuna. We have faith since the hospital is empty except for Lucas Vázquez.”
The Italian gaffer also made it a point to underline that he did not have a clear preference between the two goalkeepers, both of whom are in terrific form.
“The goalkeeper who plays the Super Cup is not the starting goalkeeper. They are performing extremely well both of them and we shall proceed game by game.”
Towards the conclusion of his news conference, the coach appraised the efforts of the young players who had a chance to wear the first-team shirt on the night, saying,
“The youth players have done well. Tobias played two days earlier with Castilla, exactly like Carrillo. Mario Martín has also done well while Nico Paz has been as always.”
After what seemed like an eternity, Ancelotti finally verified that Courtois was making a full recovery, as the player had resumed his workout on the pitch earlier in the day.
Over the course of today morning, Courtois engaged in a gentle workout on the field. Similarly to Militão, the recovery is proceeding in a positive manner. In our dealings with him, we do not need to be in a rush.
