Ancelotti: “This team manages these types of games really well” | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti spoke in the press room at the Stade de France the day before the Champions League final (9pm CET). The Real Madrid boss had the following to say: “I experience this moment naturally. This game is a sign of our success. We’re aware of the history of this club and what it demands. It was really important for us to get here because we’ve had such a good season and we’re one step away from the top prize. We’ll give it our all. The atmosphere is good, relaxed. The team manages these types of games really well. The veterans help the young players to relax and to look forward to the game with confidence”.

“I’m really enjoying what’s going on at this club and with these players. I’m still enjoying things. I’m relaxed and feeling confident. There’ll be a few nerves tomorrow evening, but the players’ faces will reassure me, as they give me a lot of confidence”.

Strategy “We have to approach the game with the aim of showing our ability. What we’ve been able to show this season, we have to do tomorrow too. It’s a massive team commitment, and it’ll come down to individual quality and the players who’ve come in, proven themselves and made the difference. Liverpool will play with intensity. They’re got a lot of talent and play directly. The team that’s capable of showing their quality will win”.

Real Madrid’s history “We’ve deserved to get to the final. In football, to win it comes down to more than individual quality. You have to show it together, with the commitment of the team that we’ve shown. The club’s history has driven us in moments of difficulty and that’s why we deserve to be in the final. But to win it, we have to deserve to do so tomorrow, there’s no other way”. Difference in comparison to the Décima “Each game has its own story and strategy. From what I see, there is motivation and slightly less concern, because the game in Lisbon was the decisive match for everyone at Real Madrid in terms of all the club’s success in recent years and for that reason the build-up is different.

Benzema’s evolution “In relation to my first period, I think he’s got more character and is a better leader both on and off the pitch. His quality hasn’t changed, he’s still a top player and he’s as humble as ever”.

Physical condition “If a player gets injured, he can’t play. If the Liverpool players play, that means they’re not injured. Maybe they haven’t been training fully over the last few days, but that won’t affect the outcome of the game. It’s the last game of the season and they’ll give everything”.

On his previous finals “I’ve got great memories of all the finals and I think the final when we played the best, was the one against Liverpool when we lost. Anything can happen in a final, we have to be ready for anything. We’ve had time to prepare for it and I think we go into it at a good time. We’re going to give our all. I’m not convinced that will be enough to win, as we know in football that you can’t control some things. But it’s the final and the build-up is a nice thing and we have to enjoy that until the referee blows the whistle”.