Real Madrid were proclaimed winter champions by finishing the first round in first position, but for Carlo Ancelotti "it will not be a League of two." The Italian coach believes that Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid will improve in the second round to fight for the title. "I don't think it's going to be a League of two, it's going to be fought by more teams. The surprise is Girona because you could think that Barcelona and Atlético were going to fight but Girona was not taken into account, which is doing very well ".
Ancelotti acknowledged that his team lacked "freshness and success in the final third," but he made a positive assessment of the first round that ended as winter champion, in a League that he assured "will not be two."
"In this first stretch of the season we have scored many goals from set pieces. My coaching staff is working very well. The truth is that we have good shooters and formidable finishers like Rüdiger today. In games like today, set pieces give you "It can give an advantage against a team that has defended well, very strong in duels. We have not played at our best level, we have lacked freshness and success in the final third," he analyzed.
The Brazilian Vinícius returned after 47 days out due to injury with an hour of play and a change agreed upon beforehand. "It was agreed because he had a major injury," admitted 'Carletto'. "It was either starting the game or putting it in the second half and we opted for the former."
"This team has something special," acknowledged Antonio Rüdiger, scorer of the only goal of the match. The German was the great protagonist of the victory against Mallorca and earned the praise of Carlo Ancelotti: "Rüdiger is at an incredible level." The German wanted to downplay what he contributes to his team's good defensive level, with only eleven goals conceded in the first round, by ensuring that he "does not" see himself "as the head of the defense." “As a team we defend very well. I don't see myself as the head of the defense, I just do my job and try to do it perfect,” he commented in the mixed zone.
Rüdiger praised his teammate in the action that allowed Real Madrid to get the three points: "Carvajal's block, very important. I scored against them last year and this year too, I'm happy because it was an important goal and three important points for us." .
For his part, Carvajal assured that narrow victories after a set-piece goal, like this one, are "key" since "they consolidate your leadership." “These types of victories are key victories. It is adding three by three. It is clear that they are strengthening your leadership,” he commented on Realmadrid TV. “It was a complicated game. Upon returning from the break it is difficult to find sensations. Mallorca played a very good and aggressive game for us defensively,” he added.
