Carlo Ancelotti returned to training in Valdebebas a week ago with a view to preparing Real Madrid's return to the league on December 30 at Nuevo Zorrilla against Valladolid. The veteran coach reviewed the sporting news in an interview with the Italian newspaper 'Corriere dello Sport', in which he pointed out his predisposition to play against the squad according to the characteristics of the squad: "I'm not ashamed to stay behind and look for the counter, even if they have quality players. With people like Vinícius and Mbappé, if once you have stolen the ball you don't look for the vertical pass, you are a delinquent", he assures.
Ancelotti acknowledges that now he is not the same coach as he was when he started: "I have changed and I am more elastic. Before it was very difficult for me to change the system and strategy during a game. Now the game and the footballers have evolved".
Ancelotti has words of appreciation for José Mourinho, whom he succeeded in his first spell at Madrid and now leads Roma, a club very dear to Ancelotti: "Mourinho is the greatest among all of us, and he said that he won many games with defense and backlash."
The Madrid coach also spoke about the World Cup and gave his opinion about Luis Enrique, without getting too wet and before knowing his dismissal: "Here (in Spain) there is enormous disappointment. There were other expectations, although the team is young. For Luis Enrique it is not a good moment: they already criticized him before the last game, imagine now”.
Ancelotti also talks about Cristiano, with whom he has a good relationship, and about the Portuguese team in the World Cup: "I didn't see Portugal's last game (against Switzerland): I was eating pizza with my grandchildren. Have they left Cristiano on the bench? And what happens? In football everything is possible. He, perhaps, feels that he is still 20 years old because of how he has taken care of his body, but there is great competition in his selection. I never had a problem with him. What's more, he fixed mine. Can a guy who scores one goal per game be a problem? It was very easy for me to manage."
Another to whom he showers praise is Vinícius: "He is more sure of himself and the team notices that. He and Mbappé have something out of the ordinary: those who see them in person find it hard to believe that a footballer can be so explosive. Brazil is the most complete team. Brazil is a bit mine. There's Vinícius, Rodrygo and Militão, but England against France makes me curious".
The Real Madrid coach assures that Benzema, who has not been able to play in the World Cup due to injury, will return to training on Saturday. He also talks about Richarlisson, Tottenham's Brazilian striker who has been associated with the white club: “He is a modern striker, not very sharp with his feet, but he has fantastic times and is very coordinated. He is among the best. We are in a transition phase: we are running out of Ibra, Ronaldo, Suárez, Cavani... Messi and Benzema are 35, Lewandowski will be next year. The new ones are Mbappé, Richarlison, Haaland, Álvarez and Núñez. I did not know Gonçalo Ramos ”, he points out.
The interview ends with a classic question about Argentine soccer players: Maradona or Messi?: "What kind of question is this? I played against Diego and, out of love, I chose him," says Ancelotti.
