Ancelotti talks Vinicius, Mbappe, Valverde and more after Real Madrid 2-1 Atletico Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid secured a crucial advantage in their Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid by registering a 2-1 victory in the first leg.

Goals from Rodrygo and Brahim Diaz made sure that Real Madrid approach the second leg with a minor lead over Atleti.

What Ancelotti said after Atleti win

Speaking to the media after the game, Ancelotti expressed he was happy with the team’s organisation and the performances of Brahim and Rodrygo.

“The team ran and worked. Two players made the difference. Rodrygo and Brahim were the best. They worked hard and contributed a lot.

“We didn’t press too hard, but that wasn’t the idea. The team was organized. We alternated in control of the game and they didn’t create many opportunities for us,” he said (h/t Diario AS).

In a broader observation, the Italian added, “It was a difficult game. It always is against Atleti. In the first half we lost too many balls, we had unnecessary losses. And Julián scored against us. But in the second half, we were better.”

Ancelotti, though, admitted that the 2-1 result won’t be enough to get them over the line and that the tie is still open.

“These are close matches. They are the last 16, just like a final or a semi-final. Atlético is a top-level team in Europe and you can’t think of finishing the tie here. We’ve managed to get a small advantage which gives us confidence for the return match,” he said.

Brahim Diaz was one of the star performers for Real Madrid (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Two of the key protagonists from Real Madrid’s narrow win were Brahim and Rodrygo. Talking about Brahim, in particular, Ancelotti confirmed that the Moroccan is pretty much a part of his plans.

“It’s not true that he’ll be back on the bench. He’s been contributing a lot, he did last year too. He’s not an undisputed starter, but he is a very important player.

“He takes advantage of all the minutes I give him and for us he’s a very, very important player. He’ll play when I put him in,” he said.

Ancelotti also revealed what he had told Brahim during his goal celebration, adding, “We wanted to make a tactical change. Defending with 4-5-1, it was just for this, to inform him of this change and that he had to play on the right. Then we changed it again.”

Another player who shone on the night was Federico Valverde, who played despite concerns over his fitness.

“I have no words for him. He has made a tremendous, fantastic effort. The change is just tiredness. He is happy to be back,” Ancelotti said on the Uruguayan international.

While Rodrygo and Brahim did well, it was a tough night for Real Madrid’s offensive duo Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.

Talking about Vinicius and Mbappe’s performances, Ancelotti said, “Playing against Atlético’s defence is not so easy. We haven’t had many opportunities. They have worked hard, they have fought. They haven’t shown the quality they have, but they have the ability to do so.”

“In the last few minutes, a bit of fatigue may have set in. A 3-1 scoreline would have given us more peace of mind. We are happy with this small advantage, considering that the return match is going to be very difficult,” he added.

It wasn’t the best of games for Kylian Mbappe (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Ancelotti was also asked about Mbappe’s toothache and whether or not it impacted the Frenchman’s performance on the pitch.

“It’s just that. He hasn’t been able to work much, because the toothache hasn’t allowed him to work for three days. He didn’t arrive at the game against Betis in his best condition and these minutes have been good for him to be in optimal condition for the next games,” he said.

The Real Madrid coach also talked about the importance of set-pieces and how they have played a crucial role this season.

“We were more effective last year, but that was because we had a fantastic striker in Toni Kroos and a fantastic striker in Joselu. This year it’s a bit more complicated. We scored goals with set pieces. We’re working on this to find different solutions with set pieces,” he said.

Finally, on the road ahead, Ancelotti admitted that the second leg will be equally difficult and that Real Madrid are not particularly thrilled about the prospect of facing Atleti once again.

“We have gained a small advantage and we want to go through, but the return leg will be difficult. Atleti will push a bit harder, it will be even. The quality of both teams is very high. It is the round of 16, but it could be a semi-final or a final.

“We are not happy to play this tie against Atleti and they are not happy to play against Madrid either,” he concluded.