Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the press room at Real Madrid City to discuss the clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu (Saturday, 9:00 pm CEST): “The team is in good shape, they're motivated. The Clásico is always a hugely competitive, hard-fought game. It's a footballing party and we want to put on a good show in front of our fans."
“Barcelona have a very clear way of playing and are doing a good job. They are a brave team and we have to prepare to play as well as we possibly can."
Clásico preparations
“We're preparing for the game so we're able to do the right things with and without the ball. They might press high and our front line will adapt, and the same goes for when they drop. You have to put in a complete performance to win these games and we'll try and do that."
Who is the favourite for the Clásico?
“In a game like the Clásico or a derby, it's always tough to pick a favourite. Fortunately, I'm not losing any sleep over it. I don't know who the favourite is. It'll depend on how the game unfolds. You can choose a favourite but anything can happen in these kinds of games. It really depends on how well we're able to manage the pressure, and on individual moments in the match. There will be spells where one team is in control, and others where that shifts. We have to manage the time and that's going to be a crucial part of our success."
Approach
“In this type of match, you don't have to talk too much. We need to have a clear, simple strategy. It's the kind of game where you don't have to say too much because everyone is motivated, focused, excited and eager to play. I remember in games like this, Van Basten used to notice when I was worried and he'd tell me that the strategy was clear. He used to tell me: "You give me the ball and then just worry about celebrating with me, and that happened pretty often."
What's your plan for the match?
“I'm not going to reveal it now. We have to see what happens tomorrow and then you'll tell me whether I got it right or not."
Bellingham
“He's fine, he's making progress. He had some ankle and shoulder issues but he's in a very good condition now. He's contributing a lot with his work-rate. He knows how important he is to this team. Last year it was crucial for him to score goals because we'd lost a key forward in Benzema. We replaced him with the goals scored by Bellingham, Brahim and Joselu. We don't have that this year because we've had a striker come in who can score 30, 35 or 40 goals. If he scores, great, but what we need from him is his positive all-round work."
Mbappé
“We're pleased because he's scoring goals already. He's important to the team. Despite not scoring against Dortmund, he was involved in the first two goals. He's slowly getting back to his best, nobody is rushing him and we're pleased with his contribution. He's certainly got the quality to improve.”
Mbappé's first Clásico
“It's not too important. He's got the experience and he's faced Barcelona on several occasions. He knows what he has to do. His way of getting ready in the build-up is calm and collected. He has great belief in his quality and he'll do his bit tomorrow as he always has. Sometimes he has more impact, others less. But I know he'll contribute to the team tomorrow.”
Modrić and Lewandowski's longevity
“There's no secret to that longevity. It's discipline, professionalism, and their passion for football."
Lamine Yamal
“He's started his career in spectacular fashion, I love the way he plays and his attitude. He's a dangerous player but we can't afford to focus too much on that. We have to consider the opposition's quality, but first and foremost we have to focus on what we're doing. We respect them because they're performing very well and everyone has seen that. They've had a very strong start to the season.”
Pressure as a coach
“The criticism doesn't worry me, I understand it. I don't spend too much time thinking about it. What I want to do is clarify my ideas and then get them across to the players in the best way possible. I enjoy sharing with them what I feel is the correct strategy for each game."
Does he think the team is ready to keep a decent pace?
“We'll try and do that but it's not easy to keep it up for the full 90 minutes. The second half against Dortmund said an awful lot about us and the goal is to replicate that, sticking all together."
Change to Barcelona's style
“They've changed their philosophy slightly and are a bit more direct now. I don't want to make comparisons with Xavi. I think he did a great job, in his own way with his ideas. We lost a few times against Xavi's team. Barcelona are different now and we respect them just as we did when Xavi was in charge."
What does it mean to coach Vini Jr.?
“It means coaching one of the best players in the world. He's a very humble kid, he's really come on as a footballer, turning into one of the best in the world. He's a future Ballon d'Or winner and he's got the same humility and discipline as the day I first met him."
Who is the leader in the dressing room?
“There isn't just one leader, there are several. It could be Vinicius, just as it could be Valverde or Modrić. The young lads can show they are leaders with their commitment and attitude. A team is fortunate not to have a single leader, but rather many."