Ancelotti on Bellingham, Valverde, Mbappé, Rüdiger, Asensio, Tchouaméni, Lucas Vázquez, and City

Real Madrid C.F.

Based on what we saw in the first leg, what are you expecting tomorrow against City?

An entertaining, complicated, difficult match. We are trying to prepare well and recover players. The idea is to approach the same game, taking into account all the difficulty of these types of matches. A tie in which everything is at stake in 90 minutes.

Do you have any comments on the Rayo game?

There is nothing to say. I already expressed my opinion on what's happening, it's quite surprising. I have nothing to add in this regard. What happened against Osasuna, against Atlético... are three matches in which we were harmed by some decisions that we still don't understand.

Do you feel more at ease with the European referees?

Yes, the statistics speak for themselves. There is less controversy and fewer VAR interventions, which only come into play when needed. In the Champions League, only the best referees from each country officiate, and the quality is very high in this regard.

Do you also buy into Guardiola's 1%?

He really doesn't think about it. Tomorrow I will ask him before the match. He believes he has a better chance, just as we don't think we have 99%. We think we have a slight advantage, to take advantage of it and approach the same game as in the first leg, which went well.

Do you consider the advantages from previous encounters?

This is a psychological issue that we take into account. It has happened many times, but it is also difficult to fix. If you say you should approach the match as if it were 0-0, it's nonsense, no one believes you because you can't change the 2-3 result. What you can change is the game plan, not making calculations. But you cannot forget that you have an advantage.

Do you hope that Bellingham won't be sanctioned?

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Yes, we hope he won't be sanctioned.

With Tchouaméni back in midfield and Asensio solidifying the defense, are you uncertain?

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Raúl Asencio
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Fede Valverde
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I'm not uncertain. Are you? That's the doubt you have, which I had, but it has dissipated. Give me the chance to leave you in doubt until tomorrow. I'm joking... Rüdiger can start playing, Tchouaméni can play as a pivot, and Asensio can play as a center back. We'll see how Valverde is doing, who got injured against Osasuna. Raúl can also play as a right-back.

Defensive commitment... but two draws.

These have been three demanding games. We haven't just achieved good results; the team is working well. This gives us confidence and a positive spirit. We have to keep playing well, with quality, and I highlight the sacrifice and collective commitment.

Is Lucas Vázquez ready to start?

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Not yet. Lucas Vázquez will be on the bench, but he hasn't completed his recovery plan yet.

Controversies

I have doubts because I think the VAR has taken too much or too much responsibility away from the referee. It's a somewhat dangerous system. The VAR was introduced to avoid blatant and obvious errors, not for football decisions. Many times, they seek to remove all the naturalness from football with just an image. Many fouls like penalties are part of the game. I don't know how many penalties are consistent with these penalties, like the one on Le Normand against Borja Iglesias, Tchouaméni's, Camavinga's... It's difficult to understand. Referees can make mistakes, obviously, but having the VAR make the final decision is something I don't understand.

Do you have the feeling that Mbappé is at his best?

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I don't see anything new. He is motivated, in good physical shape, it shows... He handles the stress before the match very well, he is very calm. He manages his stress well. At this moment, he is doing very well.