Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, the Spanish Premier League title holder, is looking forward to a positive reaction from his players after losing to local rival Barcelona in the league and Milan in the Champions League, when his team hosts rival Osasuna in the local competition tomorrow, Saturday.
Real played another match on its home field, after its harsh 0-4 defeat against Barcelona, and lost 1-3 to Milan in a match that revealed the weakness of the Champions League champion’s defense last season and its lack of offensive effectiveness.
Coach Ancelotti’s team occupies second place in the league table with 24 points from 11 matches, 9 points behind leaders Barcelona, who have played a match more.
Ancelotti told reporters, “Osasuna is performing very well, playing brave football, and is in a good position in the table. We see tomorrow’s match as a great opportunity to get back on the right track at this moment, which is certainly difficult. We have a chance to return to our best levels.”
He added, “We analyzed the situation. We believe we have found the solution, but we must see it on the ground. We want to see a different version tomorrow. I see the team in a state of unity, motivation and awareness. But we have to wait until tomorrow’s match to see if we will act in the right way.”
Confidence in Mbappe
The Italian coach expressed his confidence in the ability of striker Kylian Mbappe (25 years old) to return to his best levels.
Mbappe – who joined Real from Paris Saint-Germain last June – plays a more pivotal role at Real than he was accustomed to at the French club, and scored only one goal in the last 6 matches in all competitions.
Yesterday, the French national team captain also dropped out of his country’s squad for the matches against Israel and Italy in the European Nations League this month, extending his absence from the national team to 4 matches.
Ancelotti said, “He is training well, and he is going through a difficult moment… like every one of us. Like all of us, he has to think that this is an opportunity, and if he is smart, he can exploit it, but it requires more focus.”
He added, “It is a strong and motivated group, in addition to the fact that we are one of the largest clubs in the world. This is the best place to overcome difficult times. I am convinced that we will succeed.”
