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In an exclusive interview with MARCA, former Real Madrid captain and club icon Iker Casillas believes Carlo Ancelotti is the best coach for the Spanish capital giants.
Ancelotti returned to Real Madrid in 2021 for a second tenure and has had incredible success. The Merengues have extended the Italian tactician’s contract at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2026.
Casillas believes Real Madrid’s coach, Carlo, is the best fit for the team. And he’s proving it. He gets a lot out of his guys. On top of that, the whole team’s efforts are commendable.
The former Spain international also discussed Real Madrid’s current number one, Thibaut Courtois, who has yet to play a game this season due to an ACL injury sustained just before the campaign began.
Casillas encouraged the Belgian shot-stopper not to push his rehabilitation and instead concentrate on preparation for the next season rather than returning this season.
“The first thing Courtois has to do is recuperate as much as possible. I believe it would be premature for him to attempt to return at the conclusion of the season. “What he has to do is prepare for next season,” Casillas said.
The Los Blancos icon defended his remark, saying, “Kepa has come in this year as a replacement, and Lunin is demonstrating the confidence he’s been given…” The good news is that they’re ready to be Madrid goalkeepers.”
The Real Madrid veteran also spoke about the team’s prospects of winning La Liga and other titles this season, saying:
“It’s peaceful until you’re defeated and eliminated from a tournament. We lost the cup a few weeks ago, which raises concerns about the players’ devotion.
“But it is true that the Champions League and La Liga seasons have been quite successful. Let’s see how far Girona, our immediate competitors, can go. Madrid has to maintain their line.”
Casillas also addressed the position of his former Spain teammate and current Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez, who will leave the club at the conclusion of the season.
“The shame of football is that people have no recollection. They can’t recall what you’ve been doing for so long. “He’s been a legendary player at the club, and now he’s involved as a coach at Barcelona, where he won a league last season,” he remarked.
“But this is so sudden and impending that you are already being asked for success again. Every day. Every three days. Surely he made the best option for himself, his family, and the group as a whole. If he made this choice, he did it a long time ago.
Casillas also commented on the recent revelation that the Santiago Bernabeu would host an NFL match in the near future.
“Since the technological revolution that has taken place, where we are all very close, I think the NFL is followed in Europe and in Spain there are also a lot of fans,” he went on to say.
“To take this method of bringing the NFL to the new Santiago Bernabéu is wonderful. And the link between LaLiga and the NFL will benefit both sides greatly.”
