Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti confirms injury return for duo – ‘The season properly starts here’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has sent a message to his players after their victory over Manchester City on Tuesday night telling them that their season begins now. Los Blancos came back in stoppage time to win 3-2, but it was arguable one of their more convincing victories of the season.

One of the criticisms of Real Madrid this season has been that they have struggled to cope with big teams this season. Implicit in that have been questions about the balance of their side with four star-studded strikers in their line-up, but Ancelotti was delighted with a completed.

“It is a complete game from the whole team, on an offensive level, we had doubts about whether we could have balance and we have seen that it is possible, if there is a good dose of sacrifice. Today everyone sacrificed themselves and the quality is beyond doubt,” he told Diario AS.

“Yes, this is the way, not only for this game. From a long time ago. The season begins properly now, and despite the difficulty we got a very good result. You have to highlight a bit of everything. The back four had never played together. And more than that, they had not trained together. They have played an exceptional game. Valverde, the centre-backs, Mendy, Asencio continue to surprise… In the emergency we have found something good.”

Photo by Jason Cairnduff / Action Images via Reuters

The Italian confirmed that he did not want them to press for the entire game, merely when Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson had the ball. Los Blancos managed to score their second goal from that exact avenue.

“The plan was to press up only at the beginning, when Ederson played out, and then be in a compact, middle block, without going crazy, with the forwards well closing things off inside, so that the midfielders stayed further back. And with the ball, width and not getting frustrated with long passes.”

Ancelotti also had a positive injury update for Real Madrid, with David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger thought to be touch and go for the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Clearly, for the return we need Rudiger and Alaba, I think they will return for the second leg. But the bigger the emergency, the bigger the sacrifice. It happened last year and it happened this year. It was a bit surprising, I didn’t think that at this moment the team could have a sacrifice like that.”