Ancelotti talks Mbappe, Tchouameni, Alaba, Lunin, Asencio, January plans ahead of Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo | OneFootball

Real Madrid will be hoping to produce a strong reaction after their Spanish Super Cup debacle when they face off against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey on Thursday at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Following their 2-5 defeat at the hands of Barcelona on Sunday, the cup fixture tomorrow provides Carlo Ancelotti’s men to provide a strong response and show that the harrowing loss has not affected their confidence and mentality.

On the eve of the match, manager Ancelotti addressed the media, discussing various topics including his insistence on using Aurelien Tchouameni at centre-back, among other things.

Looking back and looking forward

Tomorrow’s match will be Real Madrid’s first at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2025 and Ancelotti hopes that the team can put up a good show after last weekend’s disappointment.

“It’s an important opportunity after a bad game, which hurt us a lot. But we are not sunk. We have to react. It’s a good match against an opponent that plays well. I hope the team can have a strong reaction after the match the other day,” he said.

On whether Sunday’s defeat was a step backwards for him and his team, the 65-year-old stated:

“It is a step backwards, but we have to move forward. There is a season left in which we are well positioned in all competitions. It was a bad game, we made a lot of mistakes. We have evaluated it and found the solution. We have to move on.”

When asked whether the defeat was due to a lack of commitment from some of his big-name players, he said it was a failure of the collective and not individuals.

“The lack of commitment is collective, not individual. The assessment of the game was a bad game defensively on all lines. And nothing more to add.”

On whether the bad results were due to an attitude problem or football problem, he replied:

“I have to make one thing clear. This is a press conference and not a debate, the debate is with the coaching staff and my players. Opening a debate here doesn’t seem to me to be the most appropriate place.”

On the squad and individuals

Regarding the criticism that Tchouameni has faced for his performances at centre-back, Ancelotti was asked if he will move him now that David Alaba has returned. In response, the Italian said:

“I’m still convinced that Tchouameni has done well as a centre-back. That’s what the data speaks for, and bearing in mind that it’s not his ideal position.

“The moment we don’t have the emergency at the back and Alaba comes back, he will return to his place as a pivot.”

Ancelotti defends Tchouameni. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Talking about Kylian Mbappe, who was one of the very few positives for Real Madrid against Barcelona, Ancelotti remarked:

“He needed time to adapt to the team and get back to his physical best. Now he’s in a very good moment and the team has to take advantage of that.”

Back in September, Ancelotti had stated emphatically that this Real Madrid squad was better than last season’s. When asked what makes him think so, the Italian replied:

“It has youth, energy, quality, commitment. It’s not always able to show it, but it’s a squad of absolute value and I have full confidence in it. They’ve won the Intercontinental, the European Cup, they’re competing.

“It was a bad game… We paid the bill for all the good things we have done, it was an expensive bill, but it was a game. We are going to fight and fight until the end, as always.

“Everyone has their say, I still have total confidence in all my players, especially those who aren’t playing their best at the moment.”

There has been a lot of talk about Real Madrid’s January transfer plans after the defeat to Barcelona. But Ancelotti refused to give anything away, as he claimed:

“The idea hasn’t changed. We talk with the club to make the team more competitive, but talking here about what I talk about with the club doesn’t seem right to me.”

There have been murmurs about using Raul Asencio as a right-back in the coming games and Ancelotti addressed that by saying:

“He’s a centre-back. It takes time to work him in as a right-back, because he’s not used to it. He came in for the first time two months ago, he’s played good games, he’s shown he can play, but he’s only been with us for two months.”

On whether he will go with the same team as the final or make some changes to the side, Ancelotti kept things close to his chest, saying:

“Everyone has recovered well. Maybe something will change, but in general I think the idea is to put out the best possible team.”

However, he did confirm one change in the goalkeeping position, saying: “Yes, Lunin will play.”

On being asked if this moment was more due to players than him as coach, Ancelotti insisted that it was a lack of commitment from everyone, saying:

“The word commitment is used many times, because it is a very important aspect of the game. Added to quality it is what makes you successful.

“We lacked commitment from everyone together, because the most important thing is to put individual commitment together, that’s what happened to us in the game against Barcelona.”

On his personal situation

Not bothered by the criticism. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

On if he is bothered by all the criticism towards him and whether there is any criticism in particular that hurts him the most, Ancelotti said:

“It doesn’t bother me at all. The team has worked well. It doesn’t bother me, because it’s not the truth.”

On being asked if it is difficult to be Carlo Ancelotti, he replied: “No, not at all. The most beautiful place in the world is, on a professional level, where I am, on the bench at Real Madrid.

“It’s the place where all coaches want to be one day. My position is the best in the world.”

Talking about how he handles the situation especially after such a bad defeat, that too against a rival like Barcelona, Ancelotti explained:

“The good thing about football is that after a bad game, after a defeat like that, there is a chance to do well, which is tomorrow, and it gives you the opportunity to focus a lot on what you have to do and not on the bad things you have done.”

Concluding, Ancelotti was asked if he was upset by any particular criticism directed at him in recent days, to which he replied:

“I don’t follow the wave of criticism, that one day you’re the best in the world and another day you’re the most everything.

“I have the necessary balance, which has given me the experience, to know who I am and not get carried away by the wave, because otherwise one day you’re the best and another you’re the dumbest. I don’t think I’m the best, but I don’t think I’m the dumbest either.”

Source: AS