MADRID, 20 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, acknowledged that Unión Berlin presented “the planned match” this Wednesday and that they defended “very well”, but that in the end “the spirit” of his team’s shirt weighed, which “gave face until the end” and that he was also “more attentive” so as not to also have to come back.
“It was the planned match, a complicated one, with Unión with a very low block and defending very well, without leaving spaces to play between the lines. We have tried in every way and we could score before, yes, but also do it in the last minute is important, this is the spirit of the shirt, it always allows us to believe until the last second,” Ancelotti said at a press conference after the match.
The Madrid coach made it clear that his “team showed its face until the end” and that at half-time they fixed “some things”, insisting that the second half was “better” because their rival whose “pressure was less compared to the first half” because it needs a lot of energy.” “In the second it falls a little and there are more spaces and opportunities,” he stressed.
“The good thing is that we haven’t come back and that a goal in the last minute was enough, it means that we have been more attentive,” added the Italian, who pointed out that “the idea was to be patient” because these games “can be a trap like Sheriff’s,” he recalled in relation to that defeat at home against the modest Moldovan team.
Ancelotti also confirmed that he has not put “a goal challenge to anyone” after another success from Jude Bellingham who “has very important qualities.” “Also lucky, it seems, because this goal is similar to Getafe’s, but it was there. He almost always comes from the second line, he is smarter than the rest,” he warned.
In any case, he knows that his team notices Vinícius Jr’s loss because “he is one of the best forwards in the world and makes a difference”, and confirmed that the Brazilian is close to returning. “He is going to play on Wednesday (against Las Palmas) and see if he is available on Sunday,” he highlighted.
“Joselu did very well, he was able to score again and he helps us a lot with the aerial ball. These are the most complicated games for Rodrygo because he is very good in the open field and in the last games we have had total control in the opponent’s half and “The spaces are smaller. He has also had a bit of bad luck, in two or three situations he was able to score,” he explained about his pair of forwards.
Finally, he does not want to see problems in his midfield options. “If I have all very good means, I cannot think that one is going to be on the bench for four games in a row, it makes no sense. Each one can contribute, at the beginning or in the second half, it is not so easy to understand for someone who is not going to play at the start, but he can contribute in the second half,” he said.