Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the press at Real Madrid City on the eve of the LaLiga matchday 13 clash with Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu (Saturday, 2:00pm CET): “Osasuna are playing really well. They’re well placed in the table, playing some great football and enjoying a good run of form. We’re approaching it as a perfect opportunity to get back to playing better, to come through this rough patch. We’re not showing the best of ourselves and tomorrow is another chance to get back to winning ways.”
“We’ve spoken and we’ve tried to assess the situation with the players. We believe we’ve found the solution. Of course, it’s all in theory for now, then we’ll have to put it into practice tomorrow by showing something different to what we have done in recent games. The team is united, motivated and aware of what’s happening – we’re certain we’ve found the right solutions, but we’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see if we can deliver on them.”
Does he feel strong enough to get through this spell?
“Yes, and I’m not the only one. This rough patch is affecting all of us, not just me. The club and everyone involved. We remain a close-knit family with clear ideas, helping each other out, and I have absolute faith in the players, they’re aware of the difficulties. These periods always crop up in football. It’s an opportunity to come out the other side stronger.”
What are the problems that have led to these Real Madrid displays?
“We believe we’ve found the solution, but it’s all theoretical. We’ll see it in practice tomorrow. This isn’t the appropriate place to discuss the issues we’ve had because everyone has their own opinions. We have to address the reality, which is how we’ve lost recent games, and we have to switch things around. We think we’ve found the problems and we’ll see if we’re right tomorrow.”
Mbappé misses out on France squad
“I haven’t spoken to him about it and I don’t plan to. It’s a matter for the national team coach and I have no right to judge his decisions. He made the decision and we have to accept it. I won’t allow myself to be drawn on these kinds of choices. Mbappé is fine, he’s motivated, struggling like we all are, but determined to get through this tough spell.”
Does he regret staying?
“That makes me laugh. Thanks for giving me something to laugh about, but now’s not the time because it’s a difficult period and we have to focus on that. It’s time to reflect and then to act. I don’t regret a thing. I try and enjoy myself, and I still enjoy every day I get to spend here at Valdebebas, and that’s not going to change until my final day. I’m thankful for all the time I spend here and the time I still have left. It’s a tough time right now but I’m happy to be here, at this club, which is the best in the world in terms of redressing difficult situations. They’ve always happened in the past, and they will continue to arise, unfortunately.”
Bellingham’s position
“I could give you an idea but this isn’t the time to speak about that. I’m excited to see tomorrow what we’ve been discussing over the last few days. It’s not an attacking issue, nor is about positioning or strategy or where the players want to play. It’s a defensive problem, it’s not going forward.”
Vini Jr.
“I didn’t want to switch the position of player who makes the difference for us. Sometimes during a game he might swtich with Mbappé and I don’t intend to change that. It’s not an issue with offensive positioning, it’s defensive.”
Valverde
“He’s in great shape, ready to play tomorrow. He’s trained well, as have all the others the last couple of days in preparation for the match. I’ve never said he had a back issue, it’s never something we’ve said at the club. He was struggling with discomfort in his back during the week but he’s recovered now. He’s absolutely fine now and we’ll be counting on him.”
How does he deal with losing a game now?
“I enjoy every day, even during the tough times, because I see a group of people who are together trying to give their best, the support offered by the club, the players. On a personal level, I’ve had some long nights, mulling things over and trying to hit upon a solution. Then you share your thoughts with the players, the club, and the night drags on even longer. Now we’re building up to the game, the positive outlook, hunger, motivation to see whether we’re capable of putting our developments into practice.”
Endrick
“He’s ready to play. He’s doing fantastically and he show such quality in training. I would say the same thing about Ardathey’re young and they’re putting pressure on the others. Could the collective approach to coming through this period as quickly as possible involve Endrick? I think so. Could Arda be involved? I believe so as well. But our goal is to come through this rough patch as quickly as we can, not give game time to those players. Arda could well be involved in the process because he’s in great shape, and the same goes for Endrick.”
How are the players doing?
“We believe we can come through this by changing our approach. But more than just words, you have to act. I can talk all I want but we have to act, the same goes for the players. Words get lost in the wind, performances are tangible. The way we play tomorrow, what we show on the pitch, remains in the result and the minds of our fans.”
What does the team need to rediscover its defensive intensity?
“Commitment, concentration and teamwork. I’ve repeated it time and again but that’s all it comes down to. Commitment to being a compact unit; concentration in terms of positioning and making the right defensive decisions, whether to get tight or drop off and cover; and teamwork, because we defended collectively brilliantly last year. It doesn’t matter whether we employ a high press, the key to a good defensive set-up lies in having a compact unit. It doesn’t matter whether that’s a high line or a low block, it’s all about being staying tight.”
Will it do Mbappé good not to head off with his national team, and what must he do to rediscover his scoring form?
“He’s training well, he’s going through a tough period, and that goes for the whole team and every single one of us. We all have to view this as an opportunity, and when adversity comes, we have to overcome it quickly and use it as a source of greater motivation, focus and attitude. That’s how we deal with the problems when they arise. The issue he’s got is the same as all of us, we’re unable to perform to the best of our abilities. We’re trying to treat this spell as a big opportunity to be better in the next match, the following day and into the future. I’m convinced he’ll get over the slump.”
“It’s a tough time for all of us. I’m not just talking about MbappéI could say the same of Vinicius, Rodrygo, Bellinghamall of us, me included. It’s normal. It’s a difficult time, it’s nothing particularly unusual. I don’t have any problem admitting it, it’s to be expected in football from time to time, this is a sport where someone has to lose. We’re not very used to it because things have been going so perfectly for such a long time. Now we’re in a rough patch. We accept that, but we can’t let our heads drop, we have to hold them higher than ever. I’m convinced that will happen because this is a strong group, we’re healthy, motivated, at a great club, the best in the world. It’s the best place to come through difficult spells because we’re all in the same boat here, the club, the players and myself. We’re aware of it and we’re more united than ever.”
Has he changed his mind about signings?
“Now is not the time for signings, to think about that, because it would mean neglecting the problems we have. We can’t make any signings now, it’s a matter we’ll discuss in the coming months.”
Doubts?
“I’m no sceptic, I look at the reality. I’ve said time and again that I’m convinced we’ll see a better display tomorrow, so today I’m saying let’s wait for tomorrow. I’m certain we’ll look to put into practice the things we’ve discussed, my doubt is whether we’ll see it properly tomorrow. I’m focused on the fact we’ve identified the issue and it’s clear, so I want to see a reaction tomorrow in that regard.”
How does he see the future?
“I think, despite the issues we’re having, it can still be a successful season where we fight for trophies in every competition. That’s how I’m looking at the future, it’s the way it’s going to be. We have the chance to win the Club World Cup in a month’s time. We’re going to compete in LaLiga and in the Champions League. That’s always been the case.”
