Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the press room of the Santiago Bernabeu and analyzed the victory against Real Betis on the fourth matchday of the Liga: “We are not afraid or disappointed. We have great enthusiasm and the motivation to do our job even better. Today we deserved to win, we played better and with more solidarity. We got three points and we go into the international break with a good feeling. It is a happy day because we have taken a step forward in terms of what we want to do and what we want to be. We still have to work, but we have all the means to do it well.”
“I had a good feeling in the first half, even though we were a bit slower on the ball, but we defended well and the team was focused on the game. In the second half we got into a better rhythm, as is usually the case. We played a good second half. We are not at our best yet, but that will change little by little.”
Mbappe
“We never put him under pressure to score goals. He played a good game, like everyone else, and was very effective in the penalty area. Everyone worked well and Vini Jr. gave him the penalty. He was very selfless and the two of them Rodrygo a good relationship. For Mbappe It is important to score goals, but we value the collective work, which was better than in the last game.”
The defensive support of the three strikers
“Vini Jr. and Rodrygo are no strangers in this respect. With Rodrygo we won the Champions League in 2022 and they will continue to do so, without a doubt. With the low block we are looking for opportunities in transition with the three strikers who are very fast.”
The game system
“We tried to play with Vini Jr. and Rodrygo on the wings. Sometimes they come into play when the full-backs move up. That worked quite well. Defensively, we were much more stable with three players in the middle.”
What is the team lacking?
“We need to become more stable in this respect. Sometimes we are not in the right position and we cannot afford unnecessary losses. The block was and always will be the key to success because scoring goals is not difficult.”
Compensating for Bellingham’s absence
“The three midfielders give us more stability on the inside and the opponent forces the game on the outside, which is easier for us to control. It’s a system that we can play sometimes, like the 4-4-2.”
The substitutions of Brahim and Fran García
“I will not call a single player a substitute. They are two good players who always contribute to the team, no matter how many minutes they play. They were very well prepared because they gave the team a lot more energy.”
Praise for Tchouameni
“He showed all his qualities. He is a fantastic young defensive player who will gradually learn to spend the right time with the ball. Defensively, he is irreplaceable because he helps us a lot in defence. We kept a clean sheet and it was his job to work with the defenders, who did their job very well.”
The international break
“That’s never good because it takes something away from the players, especially those who travel to South America, and they will find it difficult to return in good shape. The only thing I ask is that there are no injuries because that is the biggest risk. Otherwise, they are used to playing all the time.”
