Tag: Ancelotti

Coach Carlo Ancelotti has personally recognized the threat that Victor Osimhen might pose for Real Madrid when his team tackle the Serie A champion Napoli in today’s UEFA Champions League tie in Italy.

Ancelotti, a former coach of Napoli, admitted that the Napoli attacking pair of Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would threaten the defence line-up of Real Madrid.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Ancelotti described his return to Napoli as a return to the past.

 “They (Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia) are excellent strikers. They have come to the fore in the last year; they show the quality to be at a high level in any team. They are two forwards of depth, they are doing, have done and will do very well. There is a lot of talent. Kvara is very good one-on-one, Osimhen is a powerful, mobile and very dangerous attacker,” he said.

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He added: “”Returning to Naples is a bit of a return to the past, remembering the time spent here, there were good moments, less good moments and we lived in a wonderful city. The memory of a positive experience will remain. It’s the most difficult match of the group stage for us, the reality is that the Real Madrid shirt weighs on everyone, in a positive way for us but also for our opponents. Real Madrid is an institution in this competition and I think this helps.”

Meanwhile, Napoli coach Rudi Garcia has said that playing against Real Madrid is a challenge, while relying on the scoring prowess of Osimhen to wreck the visitors. “Not just with the two of them, but with the whole team. Napoli has 11 players who start and 5 who come on in the second half, maintaining the same quality or improving it because they are fresher. In Genoa the two goals came with players who came on from the bench”.

On whether Osimhen would start, he simply said: “You’ll see tomorrow, I can’t tell you things before communicating them to the players.”

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said  he is “worried” about the bribery case Spanish champions Barcelona are embroiled in. A Spanish judge charged Barcelona and several of their former directors with bribery on Thursday after alleged payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, who was a former Spanish refereeing vice-president.

Negreira allegedly earned over seven million euros ($7.5 million) from Barcelona between 2001 and 2018, through companies supposedly producing refereeing reports for the club.

Police on Thursday raided Spain’s football refereeing headquarters on the outskirts of Madrid as part of a probe into the payments made by Barcelona.

 “I am worried like everyone in the football world about such a serious topic, (but) justice is working on it, and we have to let justice run its course,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

He continued: “I’ve been living for 40 years in this world (of football), and when these types of things happen, everyone is worried.

 “I hope that justice can do its job and reach a solution.”

Barcelona coach Xavi said Thursday he had never noticed any preferential treatment in his playing days at the club.

 “I never had the sensation that the referees favoured us, ever,” he told reporters at a press conference, before Barcelona’s clash with Sevilla yesterday.

Real Madrid, second, travel to face surprise league leaders Girona today.

Ancelotti said defender Antonio Rudiger will be fine after suffering some discomfort in the midweek win over Las Palmas, while he hopes to have David Alaba back for Tuesday’s visit to Napoli in the Champions League.

 “We have to do things well, to play a complete game, make sure the team has balance, defend well and when we have the ball, show the quality that we have to damage them,” said Ancelotti.

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The coach said winger Vinicius Junior, who made his comeback from injury against Las Palmas as a substitute, would start on the visit to Montilivi.

Girona’s own Brazilian wide man, Savinho, has excelled at the start of the season and helped the Catalan minnows, only in the top flight for the fourth season in their history, to fly.

 “He’s a young player who is doing very well … he’s showing a lot of quality,” added Ancelotti.”(But) I think we have the resources, experience and quality to stop any player.”

Real Madrid never consider themselves favourites to win the Champions League despite their rich history in the competition, manager Carlo Ancelotti said yesterday  as he singled out holders Manchester City as the bookmakers’ pick.

Madrid, who won a record-extending 14th  European Cup in 2022 but lost to City in the semi-finals last season, open their Group C campaign at home to Union Berlin today.

They will also face Serie A champions Napoli and Portuguese side Braga in the group stage.

“City are favourites because they have a squad that saw them win it last season and they haven’t changed much. However in the Champions League, like always, there are surprises at the end,” Ancelotti told reporters ahead of facing Union at the Bernabeu.

“Real Madrid are a team that are going to fight until the end. We never think of ourselves as favourites, just as I think City don’t. They won it last year, they can win the Champions League.”

Real may be taking on Champions League debutants Union, but Ancelotti stressed they would not take the Germans lightly.

“They’re a new team in the Champions League but the fact they’re here means they’ve done very well. They’re well organised defensively, they’re solid and they play with intensity…,” he said.

“The Champions League is a special competition for us. We’re going to treat tomorrow’s game as something special. We want to get off to a good start in the group stage and we’re playing at home.”

The Italian added that Dani Carvajal would be rested for today’s game, but said the right back would likely be available for their LaLiga clash at Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

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“Carvajal has a strain and we wanted to rest him to avoid problems,” Ancelotti said. “He feels good and we don’t think it’s anything serious, so hopefully he’ll be back soon.

“As things stand today, he has a chance of playing on Sunday. The player’s general condition is pretty good. Lucas Vazquez will play in place of Carvajal (against Union).”

UCL MATCHES TODAY

GROUP A

Galatasaray vs. FC Copenhagen

Bayern  vs. Man United

GROUP B

Arsenal vs. PSV

Sevilla vs. Lens

GROUP C

Real Madrid vs. Union Berlin

Braga     vs. Napoli

GROUP D

Benfica vs. Salzburg

 Sociedad vs. Inter Milan

Carlo Ancelotti has given his predictions for where various teams will finish by the end of the 2023-24 Serie A season, sharing his thoughts on a number of the division’s top sides in a recent interview with Radio Serie A.

In a feature-length discussion, the Real Madrid coach also touched on the summer at his former club Milan, as well as paying tribute to two prominent figures of Italian football, Silvio Berlusconi and Carlo Mazzone.

Though the 64-year-old was reluctant to make any specific calls on the eventual league winners, he does believe that there will be a number of teams fighting it out for the title.

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“I don’t know is perhaps the easiest answer,” Ancelotti said. “But there’s a specific focus on four teams: Napoli, Milan, Inter and Juventus.”

Ancelotti did suggest that with no European football to contend with this season, Juventus could be at a slight advantage in terms of domestic competitions, noting: “Without cups, they could be dangerous.

There will also be a battle between four teams in the fight to finish in fifth place according to Ancelotti. “Roma, Lazio, Atalanta and Fiorentina will try to stay there,” he said.

 “Roma have taken top-level players, but competing in Europe is difficult. A long-term project is needed since they can’t compete economically with the big clubs at the moment.”

Shortly afterwards, Ancelotti had some words about the late Berlusconi, with whom he worked very closely during his two spells with the Rossoneri.

 “He was an innovator . He always had great ideas and was able to put them into practice, even in football. He knew what he wanted and planned for it very well.”

Then, touching on Mazzone, who passed away a few days ago, Ancelotti said: “I never had a direct relationship with him, but I’ve always had a great image of him in my mind. An iconic, straightforward and genuine person who brought something new to the role of a coach.”