Real Madrid News
Ancelotti hails Real Madrid sensation after brilliant display vs Athletic Club: “He’s outstanding”
Real Madrid began their 2023-24 La Liga campaign on Saturday night with a solid 2-0 win against Athletic Club at San Mames. The game was not easy by any measure, but early goals from Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham got the men in white across the line.
Carlo Ancelotti was in the spotlight ahead of the game as the world waited in anticipation of tactics he would deploy against the Basque side. He spoke to the media after the game and spoke on the goal scorers, team dynamics, and injuries on the night.
The manager began with an overview of the game that unfolded at San Mames, the positives and the negatives to take away from the performance.
“We played well, especially in the first half, when we showed a lot of intensity. In the second half, we slowed down and had less control, but we did well at the back.”
He also briefly commented on Real Madrid’s defensive resilience and lauded his men for working collectively to achieve the goal.
“It’s evident that when the team is collectively committed and has the right attitude, we are stronger defensively. The team was well positioned and strong in the duels.”
“In the first half, we won back a lot of balls. The team is comfortable playing this way and we worked really well defensively,” he added.
Ancelotti praised the team’s new recruit, Jude Bellingham, for his special display on the night when he scored his first goal for Real Madrid in an official game.
“He’s outstanding. He has plenty of personality and has adapted very quickly to the team’s system. It seems like he’s been with us for a long time and he’s a very talented player.”
Speaking on Rodrygo Goes’ importance in the team, the manager highlighted his ability to link up on the right side to be a valuable asset.
“He possesses different characteristics to Joselu. He combined very well with Valverde and Carvajal on the right wing. He’s adapting to this system very well, as is Vini Jr.”
“They’re very young and are progressing nicely, but they need to continue with this progression. Hopefully, Rodrygo can get more goals than he managed last season,” he added on Rodrygo and Vinicius.
The manager also spoke on Eder Militao’s injury on the night and revealed that the initial prognosis was not favourable.
“He sprained his knee. It doesn’t look good and we will assess it in the next few hours. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious. We’re concerned and we’re not ruling anything out.”
Andriy Lunin started the game in between the posts given Thibaut Courtois’ injury and was solid for the 90 minutes. The Italian manager praised the Ukrainian player, saying:
“He’s done really well. He was very calm and focused. He moved the ball well from the back and he was good with the high balls. He showed confidence and concentration.”
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have always been centre-stage at Real Madrid. Last night, the duo started on the bench and came on late in the game for short cameos. The coach reaffirmed his faith in the veterans and maintained they would get their chances.
“They’re part of a squad that has a lot of quality. I can’t say that they’re going to be substitutes. They’re very important players. I’ve chosen this line-up today, but I might change it next week.”
The Italian gaffer’s press conference ended with a question on Kepa Arrizabalaga’s speculated move to Madrid. However, the manager refused to comment on the unfinished deal.
“He’s not a Real Madrid player and I don’t talk about players who aren’t Real Madrid players.”
Source: Real Madrid website
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
