Real Madrid is silent on the case of Barcelona paying former referee Enríquez Negreira, but Carlo Ancelotti, at today's press conference, prior to tomorrow's game at Sadar against Osasuna, made a general reflection on the matter. Asked if all this could spill over into the competition, he commented: "No. What worries me is preparing the matches, nothing more. Here everyone must do their own thing: I am a coach and I do my thing; others, let them do their job. That people doubt the competition is not good. Sport must always be clean. And for that we must all collaborate".
Ancelotti assured that he is not thinking about Tuesday's Champions League game against Liverpool. "I have spent zero hours thinking about it and 24 hours at Osasuna. Also, we already know Liverpool very well," he said, but his actions indicate the opposite. For Pamplona he leaves Benzema in Madrid, to whom he rests: "It's because of his age. He ended up very tired on Wednesday against Elche." The Frenchman is 35 years old. He also does not summon Kroos, fresh out of viral gastroenteritis.
Then, Ancelotti added: "If we played against Liverpool tomorrow, Benzema wouldn't play either. I don't want to risk it." He also commented that Courtois and Hazard are traveling to Navarra, already recovered from their injuries. And he gave two names for the eleven: "Modric and Rodrygo will play at the start". He also pointed out that Álvaro Rodríguez, a Uruguayan striker who has just done very well in the South American Sub 20, is on the list: "He gives us a different profile: tall and corpulent," said the coach.
Ancelotti believes that despite being eight points behind, there is still a lot in the league: "The goal tomorrow is to get within five points for the moment. The schedule is demanding, with important games and we want to keep the good feeling. We are good, but we can improve." even more and we go for it. In football you go from the best to the worst in nothing... and vice versa. We prepare the matches one by one. It's always like this", he stated.
For tomorrow in Pamplona Vinícius returns to eleven after not playing due to suspension against Elche. Ancelotti was also asked if Rodrygo, who played very well against Elche, can take Rodrygo's place on the left wing: "No. I would be crazy if I faced Rodrygo with Vinícius. What can happen is that sometime they play together and not only with a 4-3-3. Also at the tip of a 4-4-2".
