Ancelotti does not rotate for the big match against Man City

Spain Real coach Carlo Ancelotti will field a strong squad to face Getafe in round 34 of La Liga today, instead of keeping key players for the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals.

Real is currently third in La Liga with 68 points, one point behind Atletico and 14 points behind Barca, with little chance of defending the title. Barca could even become the new champion in this round if they beat Espanyol in the derby on May 14.

However, Ancelotti denied giving up on La Liga to focus on the Champions League semi-final second leg at the Etihad on May 17, and sees victory as the best way to move on to the next game. "The phrase 'Fight to the end, let's go Real' is like our middle name," he said.

Coach Ancelotti at the press conference before the Real - Getafe match. Photo: realmadrid.com — Coach Ancelotti at the press conference before the Real - Getafe match. Photo: *realmadrid.com*

The Italian coach confirmed that Karim Benzema, Rodrygo Goes, David Alaba are absent due to minor problems, Ferland Mendy, Dani Ceballos have recovered from injuries and are ready to return, while Vinicius and Thibaut Courtois are certain to play. According to him, the players are all in good physical condition, motivated, hungry for victory and will field a competitive squad.

When asked if giving opportunities to many reserve players would anger Getafe's rivals who are racing to avoid relegation, the Real coach replied: "They don't need to be angry because we will play with the strongest possible squad, with players full of energy."

Ancelotti also joked that he did not reveal the names of his starting players because he did not want his close friend Jose Bordalas - the current coach of Getafe - to have an advantage. Ancelotti praised Bordalas for his understanding of football and life and said he had a good time when his Spanish colleague visited Real's training center in Valdebebas in the summer of 2022.

"With Real, every match requires us to play our best to try and win. The match against Getafe is no exception. A good performance gives you positive motivation, while a bad match can cause doubts to appear before the match against Man City," Ancelotti added about the goal when meeting Getafe.

Asked whether Ancelotti and Guardiola are currently the two best coaches in the world, the 63-year-old coach smiled and said simply: "No, there are many others."

Hong Duy

Source link