Carlo Ancelotti: "If you don't want to get injured, stay on the sofa"

MADRID, 24 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, acknowledged that there are currently "too many games" in his opinion, but that despite this and the proximity of the World Cup in Qatar, his players are not thinking about this appointment and not injuring you, warning that if you want to getting injured is better to stay "on the couch".

"This is a very intense period of the season, with many games, too many for me, but we are holding up well and like all teams we have some problems when you always play every three days," Ancelotti said this Monday at the press conference prior to the match against RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

The Italian believes that "the World Cup arrives at the right time" and that his players "don't think" about Qatar but rather "arriving well" after suffering the casualties of Karim Benzema, Fede Valverde and Luka Modric, key players in their respective teams and that they might choose not to risk. "It's normal to think about the World Cup, but you arrive well with continuity. We don't want to risk it either at this time, it's better to lose Karim and Luka for a game than for a month. I think they and Dani (Ceballos) will return on Sunday", he claimed.

"Injuries exist and if you don't want to get injured, I always say that then stay on the couch. I don't think the players are so worried about this, they all want to train and if someone tells me that I don't tell them that there are many movies and series to watch "added the man from Reggiolo.

On the other hand, regarding Marco Asensio, the madridista coach made it very clear that "the club and Marco know very well" what he thinks about his continuity. "There are many players whose contracts are ending and now there is a fairly long break and it may be time to talk about this. It doesn't make sense to do it now and the players also take it into account," he stressed.

In this sense, Ancelotti asks players like the Spaniard who don't play too much to be "professional, serious and endure a difficult moment". "This is what Asensio and all those who play less are doing. Now we have casualties and some of them are going to play and give their contribution to the team", he stressed, confirming that Vinicius is going to play as a starter because "he is not tired".

Against Leipzig, whom he sees "better" now than more than a month ago when he visited them at the Santiago Bernabéu and "with great confidence and very well organized", the objective is to play "a good game" and "forget" the phase of groups as first. "We have an opportunity to do it and we're focused on it," he said.

"I think that in this club all the games are important and you have to show the best of yourself, it doesn't matter if it's in the Champions League or the League. There's not much time left before the break, we've done well and the goal is to finish this first half well, that doesn't decide anything but puts you in a good position for the second leg in the League and in the Champions League round of 16," added the Italian.

Finally, when asked about the position of Rodrygo Goes, he recalled that "the center forward's mobility is an important issue" in this team. "He has a teacher who has taught him well because seeing Benzema you understand how a center forward has to play at Real Madrid now," he considered.