Ancelotti: “We're playing for three crucial points in the fight for LaLiga against Betis"
“We're coming into it in good form but it's a tough match and I'll put out the best possible team," added the coach.
Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the press room at Real Madrid City to discuss the clash between Betis and Real Madrid on LaLiga matchday 26 (Saturday, 6.30 pm CET): “We're coming into it in good form, and so are Betis. They're well drilled, work hard and have great individual and collective attributes. It will be a difficult game because both teams have a lot to play for."
“I'll put out my best possible team tomorrow because there are three vital points up for grabs in the fight for LaLiga. It's going to be a tough match and I'll put out the best eleven, without looking ahead to Tuesday's game."
Strong form
“I'm feeling optimistic because we're playing well. We've done a good job in recent games, with rotations and some fresh legs, and it's worked nicely. I'm not so concerned with the injuries, I focus on the strength of this team. Our opponents have real quality, they fight hard and compete well, anything can happen in the game."
Asencio
“The player is fine, he's recovered. What happened the other day got to him, but he's ready to play. It never should have happened, but the protocol was followed correctly. If the same thing happens again, I would hope they'll apply the protocol as the referee did so brilliantly the other day. When I pick him, I'm not thinking about anything else. That kind of abuse should not be going on."
Asencio at full-back
“He has the quality to play there, he's a different kind of right-back to Lucas and Valverde. If you have a winger out there like Rodrygo, you don't need a fullback who pushes forward so much. He's fantastic defensively."
Bellingham's sanction
“What happened with Bellingham was unfair. I'm not going discuss Antony, it's not up to me."
Valverde
“He's not injured or rested. He's got a little bit of discomfort, he's struggled to recover in time. He won't be available tomorrow but he'll be fine for the next game."
Captains
“The captains have been chosen. It was Vini Jr. who got the nod, he did a great job and took on the responsibility as captain. He was a fantastic captain and everyone saw that."
Camavinga
“People forget that Camavinga played in a Champions League final and he's perfectly capable of playing in defensive midfield. Kroos and Camavinga played as a double pivot. He's ready and has the quality to step in. The same goes for Modrić, Valverde and Tchouameni. It's a shame because Ceballos was really contributing to the team. But we'll replace him, as we always do."
Modrić's form
“Luka can play, he's got no issues, he's one of the few who hasn't had any problems. He's physically fine and even more so following the Girona game. I don't think there's any problem with him playing two games in a row. The data we have shows he's in great shape."
Mbappé
“He's lost his wisdom tooth but he's fine otherwise. He's ready and hungry to play."
The forwards helping out defensively
“Vini Jr. is really putting a shift in. The team has changed because of how hard the forwards are working. In that sense, the team looks more solid. I won't see Vinicius playing in central midfield for as long as I'm a coach."
Collective commitment
“We talk about this often. The players are in agreement, things have clearly changed in recent games, especially following the Atlético match. The defensive improvements are there for all to see.”