Carlo Ancelotti attended the press room Santiago Bernabéu after the turn of the Real Madrid against Borussia Dortmund. The coach evaluated the game as follows: “We talked calmly to change the attitude in the second half. I changed the system, and the team became more intense. In the first half, we were timid, without pressure, while they controlled the game calmly. They scored two goals with little effort, and it was very clear what we needed to do. The team did it very well in the second half. This was our best second half of the season, with more pressure and intensity… The second half taught us what. what we should do and how to do it. It could be a key moment in our season.”
“The match can be explained like this: we were very timid and with little intensity in the first half. We were organized, but we didn’t press, and they controlled the game. We had opportunities and hit the crossbar twice, but we were very passive. Taking a little more risk In the second half, we played with more energy. Pressing is something we need to do, as we have the physical characteristics to do so.”
The conversation at halftime
“I told them that thinking about scoring three goals might seem like a utopia, but that we needed to focus on the small details: not missing passes, winning duels, pressing better and increasing intensity. This way, the dynamics of the game would change. And it changed with the first goal.”
Praise for Vini Jr.
“It’s rare to see a player perform like he did in the second half. That’s something unusual, both today and in the past. He brought energy, intensity, and character… It was extraordinary. He is booed in other stadiums because he has the ability to make a difference , but he is respected in this country. With him, we are facing the issue of racism, but he is respected.”
“You’re going to win Ballon d’Ornot only for what he did tonight, but for what he has done in the past, helping us win the Champions League. These three goals will help him win the next Ballon d’Or.”
The game system
“The system is not the most important thing, what counts is the attitude of the players when playing within a certain system. I want to say that the most important thing is the attitude that the players show during the game.”
What is the reason for the lack of intensity at certain moments in the matches?
“I don’t know for sure. It’s difficult to understand. We have to focus on the second half, in which we play with high intensity and fast pace. The objective is to start like this and not expect to concede two goals. You can’t play 90 minutes with the same intensity of the second half, but we need to be more balanced between what we did in the first and second.
Lucas Vazquez
“He scored the goal that put us ahead. Sometimes it’s more difficult to defend or be in the right position when defending. But his offensive work gives us a lot of space on the right, and he scored a very nice goal.”
