Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the journalists in the post-game press conference of the 1-0 win over Leipzig, a lead that they will take to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg in March. After an eventful game, Carlo Ancelotti was asked about the performance of Andriy Lunin, to which he answered: “This was the best performance I’ve seen from Lunin since I met with him. He is very motivated, he has confidence, playing gives him that confidence. He played an outstanding game. He has done very well.”
Ancelotti to Managing Madrid’s Kiyan Sobhani
“Leipzig have a lot of good players and they are very organized in front. They attack with a lot of players, so to control the game defensively, it was not easy. We needed to have a collective job from everyone.. And we did. We didn’t concede, and this is good for us.”
Asked Ancelotti about some of the defensive problems tonight. Didn’t get too much into it, other than Leipzig having really good players and Real Madrid doing well to recover. pic.twitter.com/kecYIBLLJM
— Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) February 13, 2024
Ancelotti on Tchouameni’s performance
“He has understood very well what the team needs. He is covering the position in a spectacular way. He is strong in the air, in duels, in position. He can play there, as well as as a centre. We fixed the emergency in defense with a lot of commitment from everyone. From Nacho, from Carvajal, everyone. I’m leaving with this feeling about this match that we are a supportive team with quality. If you put commitment to quality, something good can happen. I told him it was an emergency to convince him. He gladly does it for an emergency. Let’s see, when there isn’t an emergency, what does he tell me?”
Ancelotti on the team’s performance
“It seemed impossible to achieve this, and we are doing it with a good attitude, commitment, and quality. I really liked how we defended. Leipzig at home makes people suffer. We have suffered. It was possible to concede, and it was possible to score more. We left happy. The advantage is small. We must take advantage of the return to our stadium.”
Ancelotti on the disallowed goal
“I understand that it interferes with the goalkeeper. He was pushing Lunin, I think that’s pretty clear.”
Ancelotti on the performance vs Leipzig
“It was a very hard-fought match and one in which we could have done better, but there are many positive aspects. Despite the chances conceded, the central defenders did well, we were dangerous in transition. They could have gone ahead on the scoreboard, and they could have equalised. We must be honest.”
Ancelotti on not killing the game in this leg
“No, obviously not. It’s a first advantage, but no one had the idea that we would kill the tie here. It’s a good result, but there are another 90 minutes left. In our stadium everything is different.”
Ancelotti on Brahim
“When I returned from Milan, I saw him more powerful, stronger, with more character and personality. He started without playing many minutes, but he has always contributed. His level now is a level with a lot of confidence in what he does. His goal is spectacular. We must highlight what he has done, like everyone else, it has been hard, difficult. I think he had a blow to his ankle and calf. They will evaluate it tomorrow. When he started dribbling, I yelled at him not to lose the ball. And he hasn’t lost it. Whenever he played instead of Jude, I did not want to change the system. He has gone more centrally, although today he scored from the right.”
Ancelotti on what he expects in the second leg
“Nothing new. Leipzig is a team that attacks well, is well organised, the wingers go inside. I have two forwards with a different profile, but very good. The clean sheet is very good. We have worked well. We have a small advantage but we have to play the second leg with the same commitment and with the same attitude. Suffering was expected. They have many players in attack, and controlling that is not easy. “It was a collective effort, and it is good for us.”
Ancelotti on the physical levels of the team
“It was a test in this sense. Leipzig puts a lot of intensity, with many transitions. It has been a low, compact block, and we have not given them the opportunity to take advantage of their speed.”
Ancelotti on winning the Champions League
“The clear objective is to win, but it is very complicated. We try, we try to do our best.”
