Ancelotti on Vinicius Jr, Rüdiger, Alaba, Rodrygo, Valverde, Mendy, Asensio, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, and the triumph

Real Madrid C.F.

Mixed Zone:

Reading of the match

“Calm, content, we played the first part of this tie well. We have taken a slight advantage. We must continue like this in the return leg. The match went well”.

Performance

“I think it was a complete match in all aspects. Everyone worked. We had many chances. We did not give up despite the disadvantage. It was a very complete match”.

Lack of assertiveness

“I think the victory is deserved. They took the lead with the penalty, but our four players were very effective. They could have been a bit more accurate, but they generated a lot with mobility and quality”.

Return match

“I don't think it will change. It will be a complete match. We must highlight that we defended well, with a compact block. When we pressed again, they caused problems”.

Press conference:

Camavinga

68

Camavinga
7.730.000€+40.000€6

J25

5

J24

4

J23

-

J22

-

J21

MD

20

“It was his first match there, he did very well, he must improve when we have the ball, choose the best situation, but his match was very good, impressive, his and Ceballos'”.

Injuries ahead of the return leg

126

Rüdiger
6.540.000€+60.000€3

J25

-

J24

-

J23

2

J22

6

J21

DF

00

9

Alaba
4.130.000€+30.000€4

J25

-

J24

-

J23

-

J22

2

J21

DF

00

“Clearly, for the return leg we need Rüdiger and Alaba, I think they will return for the return leg. But in more emergencies, more sacrifices. It happened last year and it happened this year. It has been a bit surprising, I didn't think at this moment the team could have such a sacrifice”.

The defense

“It was a complete match in all aspects. We defended well, with a compact block. We were effective in attack and had many opportunities. We did not give up despite the disadvantage. It was a very complete match. The City also played a good match offensively and caused us problems. The much-criticized Tchouaméni played spectacularly, Valverde as well, Mendy as well, and Asensio continues to surprise”.

Vinicius' banner

163

Vinícius Júnior
18.420.000€+270.000€13

J25

5

J24

7

J23

3

J22

-

J21

DL

59

“I don't know if he saw it. Watching his match, it was a motivation for him. He was always very dangerous. The four up top”.

Pride

“Defensively, it is a stadium where you have to work well, if not you concede many goals. It was a different match. We saw a different match from last year, with more control”.

Too much confidence for the return leg

“The result is a trap result. You have won, which can make you let your guard down because there's no need to come from behind, but you have to prepare well, as we did today, with the same quality and sacrifice. Like tonight”.

Half-time talk

184

Rodrygo
19.420.000€+70.000€8

J25

3

J24

10

J23

9

J22

9

J21

DL

56

“We fixed two things, we didn't press well a few times. In one of those, they scored a goal. In the rest, with the ball, we didn't change anything. Vini and Rodrygo stayed wide and created a lot of danger. And I told them to stay calm, it's the first part of the tie, we didn't have to go crazy”.

Madrid's faith

“Defense is not an individual problem, it's a group problem. We had to be a team, stay together, and the team worked especially well defensively”.

What was the plan?

“The plan was to press high only at the beginning, when Ederson took goal kicks, and then be in a medium, compact block, without going crazy, with the forwards closed inside, so the midfielders stayed further back. And with the ball, width and not getting frustrated with long passes”.