Ancelotti: 15 days of final sprint

There are barely two weeks until the start of the League and it is time to start the final sprint to reach the top of the first game against Alavés (Saturday August 14, 10:00 pm). The team trained for the last time this week on Saturday morning, and will not return until Monday afternoon (6pm). Already next week, Ancelotti will be able to count on the three Brazilian players who played in the final of the Copa América and will already have the entire block to work at the same pace. Only the core of players who are still in contention in the Tokyo Olympics (the Spanish Asensio, Ceballos and Vallejo and Kubo, with Japan) will be absent. It is true that the absence of signings at the moment, added to the casualties of two defensive pillars in recent years such as Ramos and Varane, plus the absences due to the positives of Alaba and Benzema have conditioned a curious preseason (Just two games to prepare for the campaign plus two other so-called games against Fuenlabrada and Rayo, and a third among the squad played today to close the week) and they do not leave a good taste in the mouth. But the presence of Ancelotti, an old acquaintance for most of the players, plus that of Antonio Pintus give tranquility for this start of the League.

Monday, whites will start their fifth week of work (The Italian coach decided to advance the return a week: Zidane had summoned the squad not to attend either the Eurocup, the Copa América or the JJ OO on July 12), where they have alternated physical work and with the ball. The Italian began to work with a small group of players who were joined by the players who were falling in the different international competitions. That groupet It was made up of players like Marcelo (now first captain), Nacho, Lucas Vázquez, Odegaard, Jovic, Brahim (who has subsequently been loaned to Milan for two years) … whom he has been examining during this long month. Now the arrival of the internationals is consolidating the block. The only doubt is Hazard: the Belgian has arrived touched of an injury that took place in the last European Championship. Even so, the coaching staff, aware of its relationship with injuries, preferred to go slowly with him. Eden, who has arrived in good physical shape, is exercising at her own pace.

The other problem you have to face Carletto It is the loss of Alaba for the next few days. The only signing so far tested positive for COVID-19 and will be in isolation until next week. The Austrian is called to be the replacement of Sergio Ramos in his role as a left center-back pairing with Militao, but his absence is going to disrupt the Italian's plans. In the same way, the loss of Mendy (surely he will not make it to the league debut on August 14) opens the door to the starting position for Marcelo. The Frenchman, who suffered a tibial periostitis at the end of last season, has not yet been able to train with the rest of his teammates. The Frenchman went out for a run last Friday and, like Hazard, did it at his own pace. He has lost muscle mass from what could be seen in the photograph published by the club itself on its official website.

The sensations for now are good, despite having poor results against Rayo (1-1) and the defeat against Glasgow Rangers (2-1, although it should be noted that the whites were missing a large part of their spine: most of those who played belong to Castilla). However, there are details for optimism such as the game and Rodrygo's goal against the Scots. Changes have also been glimpsed when playing: faced with as much possession as Zidane demanded, targets are now faster and more vertical than in previous campaigns. The problem remains the same since Cristiano Ronaldo left in 2018: the goal. Just five goals in three games, although it should be noted that the only victory this summer was against Fuenlabrada by 3-1 … Now there are two weeks left to sharpen the aim … waiting for signings …