Following their FIFA Intercontinental Cup triumph earlier in the week, Real Madrid will be back in action in La Liga on Sunday as they face Sevilla in their final match of 2024.
With the top two teams in the table – Barcelona and Atletico Madrid – taking on each other tonight, Los Blancos could have an opportunity to move to the top if results in Montjuic go their way.
The morale in the Real Madrid dressing room appears to be high again after a run of displays that invited intense pressure on the manager and the squad.
Ahead of tomorrow’s game at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media and discussed a plethora of topics, including the form of marquee summer signing Kylian Mbappe.
On the Sevilla game and Real Madrid’s situation
Kicking things off, the 65-year-old tactician insisted that he and his players are eager to end the year on a high with a win.
“We’re back after many away games… and we want to finish 2024 well. Sevilla compete, they are tough, but the aim will be to finish the year with a win,” said Ancelotti.
Commenting on tonight’s clash between Barça and Atletico, and the La Liga title race in general, the Real Madrid boss remarked:
“It will be a more competitive league than in recent years. Atletico have all the resources to fight for it and they will. It will be entertaining. And it can be won with less than 90 points.”
Following the Intercontinental Cup win, Ancelotti called the game against Sevilla as ‘unfortunate’. On being asked to explain that, he said:
“Because we could have gone on holiday after the Intercontinental, nothing more. And because it will be a tough match. It’s a risky one. Last-ditch effort.”
Talking about the unnecessary losses of possession his team tend to have during matches, the former Chelsea boss said:
“Unnecessary losses is something we have to talk about because, as the word says, they are unnecessary. We are talking about it, because it can be improved. Sometimes we take risks we don’t need to take.”
On the players
After a rather uncharacteristic slow start, Mbappe finally seems to be picking up pace and Ancelotti claimed that it was the result of the Frenchman now adapting to his new environment.
“His adaptation period is over, he’s already showing a good version of himself, but he can still improve. He’s recovered from his last injury and I see him more motivated, excited. He needed this time, like anyone else, but it’s over now,” he explained.
Hitting his stride. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The Real Madrid boss also issued positive updates on the fitness of defensive duo Ferland Mendy and David Alaba, saying:
“Recovered, available for tomorrow. Alaba is also doing parts of training, will be back with the squad on the 30th and will be available, I think, for mid-January.”
Assessing the situation with regard to the full-back positions, Ancelotti defended Mendy and Lucas Vazquez, who have been under some criticism.
“The two full-backs have done very well, both Lucas Vázquez and Mendy. They have played a lot of games, contributing to the team,” he said.
At the same time, he confirmed that Federico Valverde will not be used as a right-back unless there is an emergency and that he is indeed trying youngster Raul Asencio in the position.
“I’m not thinking of putting Valverde in there, unless it’s an emergency. And we are trying out Asencio, who, due to his characteristics, can do it, although his profile is more defensive than offensive,” confirmed the manager.
Ancelotti was asked about how he felt about having coached Vinicius Jr. and Kaka, the only two Brazilians to have won FIFA’s The Best award in the last 17 years, to which he replied:
“I have only given them confidence. And that’s all you have to give players of that talent, because they have the talent to be the best in the world.”
When asked what he thought of the partnership between Vinicius, Rodrygo, Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham and whether he believes they can work together, Ancelotti said:
“They haven’t been able to play a lot of games together, because sometimes Rodrygo has been injured, sometimes Bellingham? But I see them adapting well, in general.
“Sometimes Mbappe has dropped to the left and Vinicius on the inside. Or vice versa. I don’t want to give a fixed position to the four, I want them to have mobility, freedom.
“Where does Kylian need to improve? In continuity. He needs to be able to make those plays that only he knows how to make, more often.”
Looking back and looking forward
Reflecting on the year that has been for Los Blancos, Ancelotti opened up on his happiest and saddest moments of 2024, saying:
“The happiest… there are many. It’s been a fantastic year, maybe unrepeatable, I don’t know. We will try, because this squad has a very high level. Maybe the Champions League has been the happiest, it always is.
“The saddest… I don’t know, because we haven’t lost much this year. The 0-4 against Barcelona, maybe. I ask Santa Claus for no more criticism in 2025. But that’s normal, I’ve already said that.”
When asked to grade Real Madrid’s year in 2024 and what he hopes to achieve in 2025, he said:
“An ‘A’, considering the many difficulties we have had. Despite everything, we have won five titles. Next year the objective will be the same: to compete, fight and win the Champions League. Again.”
Source: AS