Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images
In Real Madrid’s first game following the international break, which took place Friday night, they faced the formidable Athletic Club de Bilbao. There was not much of a challenge for Real Madrid to overcome.
Keeping in mind that the club would be competing in the Copa del Rey final later this week, Ernesto Valverde chose not to play some of his most powerful cards against the opposition.
Therefore, a smooth win was ensured by Rodrygo’s outstanding brace and his strong performance in the middle of the field.
Over the course of the first ninety minutes of the match, the host team was the one that was having the most success, as they had two significant opportunities while the Basque team had none.
A fairytale plot was also a part of the game, as Eder Militao made his return from injury against the same team that he broke his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) against on the first day of the La Liga match.
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, addressed a variety of issues at the press conference that took place after the match. These topics included the player who scored the goals that evening as well as the following games in the Champions League.
The two Brazilians who are the stars
In a statement that praised young Rodrygo, who has been subjected to a great deal of strain over the last several weeks, Ancelotti praised the youngster’s potential as well as his performance as the man of the match.
Rodrygo played a fantastic game and was the deciding factor in the outcome. In addition to being engaged in two moments of exceptional brilliance, he provided us with an early lead. This is what Rodrygo does, and it is something that he is required to do.
“I believe that he is excellent anywhere, despite the fact that some people believe that he plays better on the left. You should keep in mind that he scored two goals while playing on the right side of the field in a Champions League semifinal. When asked about the Brazilian, he was quoted as saying, “He is a great forward who does not always hit the target, but that is normal.”
In response to a question regarding Rodrygo’s somewhat difficult performance in the last third of the field this season, the Italian tactician supported the player and said that he would only improve with more experience.
When it comes to scoring goals, there are examples of attackers like Cristiano or Benzema who have scored in individual instances. Rodrygo will get more proficient in this matter as time goes on and as he gains more experience.
Due to the fact that he is still young, I want him to do defensive work. He plays with a great deal of concentration. After that, he remarked, “That indicates that he is not as fresh in front of the goal as he was today.”
After that, the manager went on to the next most important item of the evening, which was Eder Militao’s return to action after an absence of eight months, and he voiced his happiness over the same.
The return of Militão is of utmost importance since he is considered to be among the most talented defenders in the world. Despite the fact that he needs some time to adjust to the game more effectively, the fact that he is back with us is the most essential thing.
We are going to need his services in the next games as well as in the remaining games of the season. When a player who has been absent for such a significant amount of time returns, it infuses the locker room with a newfound sense of optimism. His whole team has sent their congratulations to him,” he said.
Regarding the race for the title
Real Madrid has an eight-point lead over Barcelona with eight games remaining in the season, and it seems like they are on their way to winning the La Liga championship. However, Ancelotti emphasized that he would not take anything for granted until it was won. He would not concede anything.
We are concentrating on the fact that we have an edge in the league, on making the most of that advantage, and on attempting to victory in each and every game that is yet to come.
Starting with the following game, which will be played against Mallorca. Due to the fact that the league is still open, we are unable to do any computations; nevertheless, we do have an edge. According to him, “We now have to play good football and try to win every game,” and he urged his team to approach each game as if it were the championship game.
It is Bellingham.
During his press conference, the Italian coach confessed that Jude Bellingham did not seem to be in his finest form on that particular evening. He ascribed this notoriety to the heavy burden that he was under for both his club and his country.
This morning, Bellingham did not seem to be as alert as he normally is. Both of the games that he played for England were quite intense, and he paid a little bit of a price for it today. I am referring to the lack of intensity that I experienced today, as was the case with Bellingham and Valverde, when I say that I am speaking about intensity.
In order to defeat City, it is necessary for everyone to perform at their highest possible level.He went on to say that Bellingham has been doing really well for the national team, and that the training he has done today would be beneficial to him in the games that are to come.
Staying on the new signing’s topic, he made a clever statement in his press conference surrounding Bellingham’s relationship with the referees.
“I don’t know what Bellingham thinks about it, he’s learned very quickly what he has to do and that’s to keep his mouth shut.”
On the central defensive pairing
With David Alaba injured for the rest of the season and Militao just recovering from injury, Ancelotti has numerous factors to consider before deploying a central defence pairing.
Commenting on the same, he said, “There are a lot of things to assess. Tchouameni played a very important role today because he pressed very hard, worked hard in midfield and won the ball back a lot.”
“If I can’t use him, we have Camavinga. Picking someone in that area is a problem, but it’s a positive problem and not a negative one,” he added.
On the clash against Manchester City
Admitting that his side had a slight advantage in their fixturewith over nine days of rest when compared to Manchester City, who play two games in between, Ancelotti said,
“They have a more difficult schedule, but that’s modern football. We have a small advantage that will not decide the outcome of the game. We have the time now to prepare for the game and play well.”
“We managed the game very well today, but we didn’t play with a high intensity because the game didn’t need it. I liked the way we handled it, but the intensity has to be higher,” he added.
The Italian tactician revealed how he would look to utilise the long hiatus in the best possible manner.
“Having a week to prepare for the game is good for us. We can rest the players who have come back from playing for their national teams. And then we have just enough time to prepare for the quarter-final against Manchester City.”
Finally, he warned the Premier League side that he had a close eye on their games to work around a strategy to dismantle them.
“We know City very well. I watched today’s game and we will analyse everything we have to. We’re focused on a different game to today. The match will be more intense and now we have time to prepare everything perfectly.”
