Ancelotti talks Vinicius, Asencio, Courtois, Endrick, derby ahead of Villarreal vs Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday evening.

Despite losing their Round of 16 second-leg tie 1-0 earlier this week, Real Madrid managed to eliminate Atletico Madrid from the UEFA Champions League through penalty shootouts.

Having put in an unconvincing display in the derby, Carlo Ancelotti & co. will be eager to produce a strong reaction and go into the international break on a positive note with a victory over Villarreal on Saturday.

Ahead of the trip to Estadio de La Ceramica, Ancelotti addressed the media and provided an update on the condition of Vinicius Jr., who missed training today.

Kicking things off, the Real Madrid boss issued an update on the team’s condition after the exertions in the derby, saying:

“Recovering, because it’s been a short time. It will be an aspect to take into account for tomorrow, obviously. We have to play an intelligent game….”

Ancelotti then dismissed the reports of Vinicius being a major doubt for tomorrow’s game, saying:

“We’ve given him an extra day’s rest, because he was still very tired. Tomorrow he’ll be at full strength, available. He doesn’t have any kind of problem, just a bit of tiredness.”

Commenting on the Brazilian international’s poor match against Atletico, he added: “Vinicius is indisputable. He can have good or bad games, but he’s unquestionable.

“If sometimes he doesn’t play well, or fails? I don’t question him. He’s been so important to this club that I can’t argue with that.”

Talking about all the noise surrounding the derby and Julian Alvarez’s ruled-out penalty, Ancelotti noted:

“I didn’t notice this. For us, the match is over. We are concentrating on the next one, which is tomorrow. We have a very long period coming up, with a lot of games and we want to do well tomorrow.”

On whether he fully understands the two-touch penalty rule, the Real Madrid boss replied: “I don’t know what the rule is. But it’s what it is and you have to respect it.”

Ancelotti also reacted positively to Raul Asencio’s maiden call-up to the Spanish national team, saying:

“We have welcomed it. It’s very good news. He deserved it because of his work and his seriousness. He deserves everything.”

Ancelotti unhappy with the fixture calendar. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Expressing his frustration at La Liga for scheduling their fixture on a Saturday during a Champions League week, Ancelotti remarked:

“I don’t understand it, but there’s nothing we can do about it. I don’t understand it. The minimum is 72 hours. I don’t understand it… but that’s the calendar.”

“It’s simply about money, TV rights… not the recovery of the players. That’s what I think,” he further added on the fixture calendar.

Giving his opinion on Real Madrid’s season so far, the manager stated: “Despite the difficulties, we have reached March alive in all competitions. And this hasn’t happened in the last three years.

“In the first one we were knocked out by Athletic in January, in the second one we were far away in La Liga… now, for the first time, we are alive in everything in March. We are doing well. And we can do better, but we’re doing well.”

On how he has been coping with the season so far, the Italian added: “It’s been a stressful season, but because of the calendar. Since January we haven’t stopped for a moment, playing every three days… tomorrow could be the 21st-22nd game.

“It’s too much. Even for me, who doesn’t play. Because preparing for a match every three days… the players don’t have time to recover. But what can be done. The only possible thing to do is to stop. But it can’t be done.”

On being asked for his thoughts on Thibaut Courtois’ statements after the derby, when he hit out at claims that Real Madrid are helped by referees, Ancelotti said: “It’s his opinion, ask him.”

When asked if he sent Endrick on in place of Vinicius Jr. against Atletico Madrid for the youngster to take a penalty, the Real Madrid boss said: “No. He went in because Vinicius was tired and we wanted a fresh player.”

Talking about what his and the team’s main focus will be on against Villarreal, he stated: “Tomorrow we will have to make an extraordinary effort. We can’t have the energy and freshness we need, because we don’t have enough time for it.

“But we have to have a good attitude, play an intelligent game… without going back and forth. There are many ways to win, defending well, for example. What I’m thinking about in the build-up is playing an intelligent game.”

Source: AS