Real Madrid News
Ancelotti talks Rodrygo, Camavinga, Mendy, Casemiro ahead of Manchester City clash
With La Liga a point away, Real Madrid are looking towards the Champions League to add further silver depth to their season. However, for a shot at the UCL, they will have to overcome one of the best sides in Europe – Manchester City.
The first of the two legs is set to take place at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow. Madrid will be hoping to take a leade similar to the one against Chelsea for any chance of reaching the finals.
Ahead of the semi-finals, Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media as part of his routine pre-game press conference. Madrid Universal follows all the quotes quote in this thread.
On the game: “Tomorrow we will fight to be in the final.”
“It will be an open match. We are happy that we are three games away from winning the title. We will face a strong team so my feelings are mixed.”
On Ferland Mendy: “Mendy is dine. We have doubts about Alaba and Casemiro. We will know soon if they will play or not.”
On lineup changes: “The doubt tomorrow is whether we start with Camavinga or Rodrygo.”
On La Liga: “We are not thinking about what might happen on Saturday. La Liga is much closer. It can be won at home, we are very happy that we might able to win it a month before the end.”
On the players: “My players are professionals, they always study the opponent and how to play well against them. We are ready for tomorrow’s match. The players made my life very easy Real Madrid.”
On the semi-final matchups: “There are two teams in the semis that noone expected to be there: Real Madrid and Villarreal.”
“I remember what the press was saying at the beginning of the season and I always said we will fight until the end.”
“I would not say that reaching the semis is an achievement for Real Madrid. Our history always pushes us to be in the finals, the achievement would be reaching the final.”
On Madrid’s UCL experience: “The history that Real Madrid has in this tournament means a lot to us, more than it does to our competitors. This story, which has developed over all these years, helps the players to feel the weight of this shirt.”
On their defensive tactics: “The defence will have an important role in tomorrow’s game. When City has possession, you can’t just look at them, you have to take the ball from then and then take advantage of it.”
On his return: “Why did I return? Because they needed a coach [laughs]. It’s simple, it was a dream to come back. This is not my decision. Real Madrid had confidence in me and now I’m enjoying it.”
Source: Real Madrid Twitter
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
