Carlo Ancelotti is becoming more involved in the club's victim-like dynamic with each passing day and this was made evident this afternoon in Braga at the press conference prior to Real Madrid's Champions League match against Braga, in which most of the questions They dealt with the white club's arbitration complaints. The Italian coach defended the Real Madrid TV videos in which the referees are criticized: "You know perfectly well what freedom of expression is. And everyone can express what they want. I focus on what is mine. I trust in referees out of habit. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less," he said.
Then, he dropped a suspicion without expressly mentioning the Negreira case: "We are in a somewhat special moment, that's true. And until it is clarified, Spanish football will have this type of problems," he stated.
Asked if he felt harmed by the refereeing, he commented: "Sometimes they have harmed us. You know that I do not have freedom of expression to talk about the referees. If I say what I think, they suspend me. And I want to work. Enjoy the games, which is what makes me happy. So in this aspect I do not have freedom of expression. I cannot answer these types of questions," he insisted. It's the same thing he said after Saturday's game in Seville.
Ancelotti believes that in European competitions referees have less pressure: "There are many things to evaluate in these cases. A Spanish referee who whistles in Spain lives in Spain. But the English referee who whistles tomorrow in Portugal, for example, on Wednesday "He will be back and what they say in Portugal won't matter much to him. I think refereeing in Europe has a different pressure."
Regarding Pedro Rocha's words this morning in which the president of the Federation's management company praised the Spanish referees, saying that they were the best in the world, Ancelotti replied: "And if you ask me about the best players in the world, world, I will tell you that they are those of Madrid! There are very good referees... and others who have to improve."
Ancelotti commented that he does not plan to make the lineup thinking about the classic: "We are not thinking about the classic yet. The players are recovering physically and have their minds focused on tomorrow, a night that is a huge opportunity to get on track for the round of 16. But "That doesn't mean that they will play the same players as on Saturday. We will have to see injuries, fatigue, the return of Nacho... There will be time to think about Saturday," he insisted.
Given that five of the ten questions were about the referees, Ancelotti ended with a joke: "Are we done yet?" Well, I came with the idea of giving the eleven, a shame you didn't ask me!" he said, leaving with a smile.
Before Ancelotti, Kepa Arrizabalaga, who was much more discreet regarding the refereeing controversy, passed through the press room: "The videos are the videos and there they are. And the actions of the referees are also there. I stand by it: we are not going to "talk about the referees. We, about the game, about what we can control."
Later, Kepa spoke about the difference between the arbitrations of the Premier and LaLiga: "I have been in the Pemier for five years and there is not much talk there during the arbitration week, that is the main difference. And it would be a good sign if "Here we started talking more about football. In the end, that's what's important."
