Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach, appeared in the ‘flash interview’ of Movistar LaLiga, to analyze the victory suffered by Madrid against Athletic.
Madrid win, but had a bad time …
Of course, football today is like that, when you play against a well-organized team, when you don’t get ahead with enough advantage, you suffer. It is a quality of the team, he knows how to suffer, he knows how to fight, with a strong mentality, he does not lower his arms. If the game doesn’t go so well, we have this. It is a great quality of a team.
What happened in the second part?
One team did not have the same energy as the other, because Athletic rested two more days, they were fresher, and they do not play in Europe. The game had to be played like this, I am very satisfied, happy. We had to defend, I put energy with the changes to defend, Courtois made two great saves, we defended… It’s normal. I liked everything, also the final minutes.
Courtois said that you complicated yourselves …
Yes, you could handle the ball better, in the second half we missed a lot of passes. In the first 30 minutes we played very well. At this time of the season this happens, it is nothing new. It does not worry me. The first 20 minutes we did was an exhibition. Nice touch, good pass, something was missing to finish. More fang.
What about Benzema, was it a penalty?
Yes, penalty. And they haven’t whistled it.
They have a very good run and already have an important advantage. What does it mean?
That we are doing well, we have a very good streak. They are very complicated games. At an important moment of the season, we will try to do our best. We are confident, we need to recover well, to win the Real on Saturday, which will be difficult. Confidence is very high.
Courtois saved the team …
What Courtois does in games is what he does every day in training. Sometimes I tell him to give the forwards more confidence, because it stops everything …
Ancelotti, at a press conference
What happened for Madrid to crash in the second half?
It has happened that we have played against a good team, with intensity and that they had not lost away from home. He had rested for two more days. We played the first half well. In the second we have missed more passes. It is good for a team to know how to suffer when it cannot play football as it wants. We have a group with a very strong character, a lot of commitment, and it is not luck that we have won seven games in a row. When we cannot pull quality, we have another quality. I liked the ending more than the first part. The first seemed like an exhibition but without punch. Very good but missing a goal. In the second, something was missing but not the commitment.
Tiredness.
The team has finished tired, it is normal. When you play against a team that has rested more than you, you pay a little. It is an evaluation that we have to do for the next game, if the players who have played the most are tired “
Victory suffered.
When you get ahead by just one goal, in the end you have to suffer. If you go 2-0 or 3-0, you are going to suffer. A long ball, a defensive error … anything can go 1-0.
Satisfied.
Of course I have to think that we have three games very close, where we don’t have time to rest. But the streak is very good and I am very satisfied with everyone. Of those who play everything and those who do not play for a minute. The atmosphere is very good.
Did Athletic deserve more?
He had a chance, he played well, especially the second half. But the first 30 minutes have been Real Madrid.
Courteous.
He is doing extraordinary things. I’m not worried that he’s one of the best. We have to improve defensive aspects. We suffered from set pieces. But we have it and we enjoy it.
Is Courtois the best goalkeeper you’ve ever had?
We have been lucky to have great goalkeepers. Casillas, Diego López, Buffon, Cech, Neuer. Tribe is among the best without a doubt and is the best at the moment.