Ancelotti: "Right now I can't ask the players for fantastic football"

   MADRID, 15 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The coach of Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti, stressed this Wednesday that "at this moment" he cannot ask his squad for "fantastic football", but instead asks them to play "intelligently", although he insisted that they "fulfilled" with the goal of winning, even though it was not a "spectacular match".

"It wasn't a spectacular match, nor was it fantastic, the most important thing was to avoid the cons, they are very dangerous. A well-controlled match came out at the back, they only found us on two occasions. We wanted to play a match to win it. The vigilance defense was important, the best thing about Leipzig is the transitions and we didn't want them to hurt us there. In the second half, they lowered their energy and in the end we deserved to win. Right now, I can't ask the players for fantastic football , I ask you to play smart football," the Italian said at a press conference after the 2-0 victory against Leipzig.

The coach acknowledged that they would have liked to have "come forward earlier", because it was a match for which they had "concern". "This team gave a boost on Sunday by beating Dortmund, we were worried about this game, but in the end we delivered," he celebrated.

Marco Asensio, who last Sunday against Mallorca went to the bench angrily after having warmed up and not having gone out to play, was "decisive" for the whites in their debut in this Champions League, converting the 2-0. "I have congratulated Asensio, he has complied. The reaction after the anger has been very good and I think he has played a good game," he said about the Spaniard.

About the scorer who opened the can against the German team, Fede Valverde, Ancelotti highlighted his powerful shot, thanks to the "stone" he has on his right foot. "It seemed strange to me that last year he only scored one goal. I told him: 'If you score less than ten goals in a season, I have to tear up my card. Today he scored with his left, I have never seen him score one with his left ", he joked, before making it clear that "we have to wait" to say that "he is the best in the world in his position".

Another of the proper names during the coach's appearance was Vinicius, who is "focused" on achieving "continuity" and "more success". "That's why he will be stronger, not because of what is said about him," he said, regarding the clashes with Mallorca players last Sunday.

"Tchouameni is a very intelligent player, when one in midfield has the quality to position himself well and handle the ball well... He has to improve, especially with the ball, but being intelligent allows him to join a team like the Madrid and do it well. He's young, he wants to learn, he asks a lot of things...", he commented on Tchouameni, who started alongside Modric and Camavinga.

Precisely, Ancelotti wanted to emphasize the "energy" of Real Madrid's '12', which is not as showy with compact teams. "When the game is broken, he stands out more for his energy, more than when the game is more positional. These are things he has to learn," he said.

"What stands out about this team is that the players are very madridista and that counts, the weight of the shirt is a very important responsibility and makes you feel as madridista as the fans," Ancelotti asserted about one of the squad's qualities, before advancing that Benzema, with whom he would not have changed the strategy this Wednesday, will play against Atlético this Sunday "if he trains well on Saturday."