Ancelotti bets on Madrid to win the trophy this season
Carlo Ancelotti has said he is “convinced” Real Madrid will win a major trophy this season, before the club makes a decision on its future in the summer.
Madrid pursues three competitions, facing LaLiga on Sunday classic nine points behind leaders Barcelona, preparing to face Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final and hoping to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit in their Copa del Rey semi-final with Barca.
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“It’s an assessment that the club has to make, not me,” Ancelotti said at a press conference on Saturday, when asked if he deserved the opportunity to continue as Madrid coach. “I have said many times that I would stay here for life, but I think it is impossible. It is a decision that the club will take at the end of the season, whatever happens.”
One journalist suggested that Madrid’s high standards required winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey or the Champions League (having won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup this season) to keep his job.
“Change of rules!” Ancelotti said. “And unwritten rules too. But I’m convinced we’ll win something this season, so that’s it.”
on Sunday classic It is the second of three meetings in 34 days between Madrid and Barça. The Catalan club prevailed in the first leg of the Cup played at the Bernabéu, a eder militao an own goal that gave them a 1-0 win, ahead of the second leg at the Camp Nou on 5 April.
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“It’s hard to say what game we will have (on Sunday),” Ancelotti added. “Barcelona defended a lot in that game, because they went ahead. This game will be different depending on whether we score early or they do… Tomorrow we will play attacking football, without taking any risks”.
The key duel in that Cup match was seen by the Barça defender Ronald Araujo — selected on the right wing — come out victorious against junior vinicius.
“It is true that it has been more difficult for him,” Ancelotti said. “But Vinicius is always Vinicius. His mobility can help him. I’m thinking of putting him on the right… Obviously I’m not serious, but mobility is important.”