Real Madrid News
Ancelotti talks Vinicius, Modric, Rodrygo, Valverde, Nacho after Liverpool 2-5 Real Madrid
Tuesday night saw one of the UEFA Champions League’s most special clashes as last edition’s finalists Real Madrid and Liverpool engaged in action at Anfield in the Round of 16. The game did not disappoint with an incredible comeback scripted by Los Blancos and seven goals scored on the night.
The first half was more evenly balanced, and both teams shared the spoils at the halfway mark, with the scoreline at 2-2. However, the Merengues went out blistering in the second half, putting three more goals beyond Liverpool to settle the result.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media after his team’s special win at Anfield and spoke about the dynamics of the game amongst other topics. Here are the snippets from his interaction.
On the performance of his team: “Winning at Anfield isn’t easy and doing so in a convincing manner is even more difficult. We’re very pleased about that. The team showed that they’re improving and that they’ve been at a good level in February after a tough January.
“The season doesn’t stop and we have to be at our best. We’re pleased and we’re confident we can do well.”
On the contrasting halves of action: “We struggled a lot at the start, but in the second half we made a difference. We didn’t expect to get off to such a start, but as is often the case with this team, we stayed calm and gradually got into the game thanks to the quality we have.”
On what changed in the second period: “The forwards were highly effective and we created problems when we broke out of their pressure. We sorted out the defensive side of things and in the second half, we made a difference. We looked for our front players, who were outstanding today.”
On the second leg: “We have gained an advantage from the first 90 minutes and now we have to manage the second 90 in Madrid well. Liverpool are a highly competitive team and unfortunately, the tie isn’t over. Liverpool are a great team because they play at a high tempo and that’s tough to come by in Europe. It’s going to be tough for us.”
On how his approach last night was distant from last year’s final: “I tried to field a line-up to ensure we played a more open game than in the final because this is a knockout tie. We went for a dangerous forward line.
“Rodrygo did a fantastic job defensively and really helped us a lot. We had a different strategy compared to the final.”
On pushing through despite being two goals down: “I remembered the semi-final against Manchester City. It was inevitable that we’d have to suffer. We said to ourselves that we could struggle, but the important thing was to remain calm and keep our emotions under control.”
On the importance of players’ mentality: “This is where the veterans really help a lot. Everyone showed composure because it was a long game. You keep cool by trusting in the quality you have. You have to prepare the team to stick to the strategy you have set out.”
On Vinicius Jr: “Right now he’s the most influential player in world football. No other player has this consistency.”
On Luka Modric: “He’s the same Modrić as always. The best Modrić you can see in a match: consistent, confident, and great on the ball. In times of trouble, he’s been essential in getting us out of trouble.”
On controlling the game in the second half: “I told Luka to press Fabinho in the first half, but he found more on the left wing, and in the second half we put Valverde there.
“Nacho always performs. He has a football intelligence in defence that not many have. We sorted it out well in the second half.”
Source: Real Madrid official website
Real Madrid and Inter Milan are two clubs where history carries an unusual amount of weight.
The white shirt of Real Madrid and the famous black-and-blue stripes of Inter have been worn by some of football’s greatest players, with both clubs demanding not only talent but the ability to handle enormous expectations.
Moving between the two is therefore no ordinary career decision.
The clubs operate in different football cultures, compete in different domestic environments and have their own tactical traditions, but the pressure attached to representing either institution is remarkably similar.
Despite that, a select group of players have experienced both worlds.
Some arrived at Real Madrid after making their name in Italy, while another made his reputation in Madrid before becoming a key figure in one of Inter’s greatest teams.
On that note, here are three footballers you might have forgotten who represented both Real Madrid and Inter Milan during their careers.
Roberto Carlos: From Inter disappointment to Real Madrid legend
Few players are as synonymous with Real Madrid as Roberto Carlos.
The Brazilian left-back became a cult hero at the Santiago Bernabeu, but his European journey took him to Italy before Madrid. In 1995, he joined Inter Milan and spent one season with the Nerazzurri.
It was a productive campaign on an individual level. Roberto Carlos made 34 appearances and scored seven goals, which is an extraordinary return for a defender and an early indication of the attacking qualities that would eventually make him one of the most recognisable full-backs in football.
His time in Milan, though, lasted only a season.
Real Madrid moved to sign him, and the transfer proved to be one of the most important pieces of business in the club’s modern history.
Roberto Carlos would spend 11 seasons in the Spanish capital and establish himself as one of the defining players of his generation.
Across his Madrid career, he made 584 appearances in all competitions and scored 71 goals.
During his time, the Brazilian won four La Liga titles and was part of the team that reached three Champions League finals in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Madrid won all three.
The 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen produced one of the defining moments of that era.
Roberto Carlos delivered the cross that Zinedine Zidane spectacularly converted for the winning goal, securing another European crown for Madrid.
Fabio Cannavaro: A Ballon d’Or winner in Madrid
Fabio Cannavaro’s connection with both clubs is perhaps less widely remembered, particularly because the Italian defender’s reputation is strongly associated with his homeland and Real Madrid.
Cannavaro developed through Napoli and Parma before earning a move to Inter Milan in 2002.
The Nerazzurri reportedly paid around €23 million for the centre-back, handing him a four-year contract.
His start at Inter was encouraging, but the relationship eventually became complicated.
Cannavaro left the club in 2004 and joined Juventus, where he spent two seasons before another major move changed the course of his career.
In 2006, Real Madrid signed him from Juventus for a reported €7 million.
That same year, he captained Italy to World Cup glory and produced a series of outstanding performances during the tournament.
His achievements were recognised on an individual level too, as he won the 2006 Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Cannavaro spent three seasons at Real Madrid and added domestic success to his already extraordinary year.
He won La Liga in both the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, becoming an important defensive figure during Madrid’s successful campaigns.
His Inter career never reached the same heights, and Cannavaro himself has spoken critically about aspects of his experience there.
But his journey from Inter to Juventus and eventually Real Madrid produced one of the most decorated defensive careers of his generation.
Esteban Cambiasso: Madrid academy product turned Inter great
Esteban Cambiasso’s story is arguably the most interesting of the three because, unlike Roberto Carlos and Cannavaro, he began his connection with Real Madrid at youth level.
The Argentine midfielder joined Madrid’s academy at a young age alongside his brother Nicolas.
After returning to Argentina to gain regular first-team football with Independiente and River Plate, Cambiasso eventually returned to Madrid.
He became part of the first-team setup in 2002 and enjoyed a trophy-winning spell with the club.
Cambiasso won La Liga, the Intercontinental Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup during his time in Madrid.
Yet his stay in the Spanish capital ultimately came to an end when his contract expired in 2004 and the club decided against renewing it.
That decision opened the door to Inter, where he truly established himself as one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
He spent a decade with the Nerazzurri, becoming an important figure in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
Cambiasso won five league titles during his time at Inter and became particularly important in Jose Mourinho’s side.
In the 2009-10 season, Cambiaso’s Inter won the Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich in the final, completing a historic treble.
