MADRID, 23 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has confirmed that Brazilian striker Vinícius Jr. will be in the team’s squad for this Sunday’s derby against Atlético de Madrid at the Cívitas Metropolitano, a “special” match in which They hope to “be able” to maintain “the good dynamic.”
“Vinícius started training yesterday with the team, he is in good condition, the injury is forgotten. He trained very well today, he will be in the squad and tomorrow I will decide what role he will have in tomorrow’s game. Carvajal is not there , he still needs something to be 100%; the others, apart from Arda Güler, who will start training with the team on Monday, are all fine. Mendy and Ceballos are completely recovered,” he declared at a press conference.
In addition, he noted that the Brazilian’s risk of relapse “is zero.” “He trained because the risk is zero. If tomorrow we believe that there is a certain percentage of risk, we are not going to risk it. We will talk about it tomorrow with complete calm and tranquility. The important thing is that Vinícius has recovered. I have told him that he there is a little lack of physical condition, it is quite normal, but these are things that we will evaluate tomorrow,” he explained.
In another vein, the Italian coach revealed how the squad is doing. “The feelings are always good before an important match like tomorrow’s. We have desire, enthusiasm, the concern of facing a rival with many resources… Everything is normal, nothing new. What prevails is the illusion of making a great match and be able to have the good dynamic that we have at this moment,” he expressed.
In this sense, he assured that they want to “win” but “not to put Atlético in difficulty, but to score points to try to win LaLiga.” “The derby is always a great opportunity, whether you are in a great moment or in a more difficult moment. They are special games. They are the two teams from the capital, two teams with a lot of quality, they are games with a lot of intensity, very beautiful to watch. “I don’t think the game he played against Valencia weighs on him, he also played a good game against Lazio. I don’t think anything will affect the dynamics of tomorrow’s game, it will be a different game,” he said.
He also considers that “there is no difference” for him at the emotional level between a Madrid derby and a Clásico. “These are matches that I like to prepare for, we like to be protagonists. There is special attention and we have the hope of doing our best to be protagonists,” he said.
Regarding Jude Bellingham’s gastrointestinal discomfort, he stated that “it has been an anecdote.” “He didn’t feel well on Thursday, but today he is much better, he has trained normally and will be in the game,” he said. “If Bellingham is not there, I have someone else. In these games, the squad has shown that in the absence of important players they have been able to fix it very well. If Bellingham is not in a game we will not start crying; he will rest and be more ready to be in the next game,” he stated.
Asked how it feels to leave men like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos out of the eleven, Ancelotti reflected on his management of the midfield. “Leaving someone on the bench costs a lot, not only Kroos and Modric, but also Valverde, Tchouaméni, Camavinga… The competition in the midfield is very high. The reflection I have made this week with them is that when “I make a change, I see the player who comes out sad, and the player who comes in very happy,” he stressed.
“I understand that someone comes out sad, because they think I’m changing him because he’s not playing well, but I’m changing him because I have resources on the bench and I’m going to put a fresher player in. I’ve told them not to be sad when they leave the field, because “You only have to be sad when you haven’t tried 100%. Usually, those who play try 100%, and when you do you don’t have to leave the field sad,” he continued.
Finally, he was convinced that there will be no racist attacks against Vinícius in the derby. “Something has changed after last year, and I am not referring to what happened at the Metropolitano, but what happened later, in Valencia. Something has changed, there is a more serene, calmer, more respectful atmosphere. I think that tomorrow is going to be the same,” he concluded.