Carlo Ancelotti’s Confidence Shines as Real Star Praises Italian Coach

“Nothing to take away my sleep.” Carlo Ancelotti is preparing the next final against Manchester City next time the wonderful 3-3 in the first leg. On the bench at the Etihad Stadium, which tomorrow will be the theater of that dream called the semi-final of the Champions League, Carlo raises his eyebrows because he only knows how to do when they ask him if there is anything that will take away his sleep. , ahead of the second game in a week with the reigning European champions. “I have so much faith in my team, in my players, in how well we are doing and in what we have done this year. I slept well tonight.”

ADMINISTRATION

–

Ancelotti refuses to see the game as a a duel between mountain giants with Pep Guardiola and putting the focus back on the players. “The first game was very good and competitive and I’m sure this one will be as well: football belongs to the players though”. True, but it is also up to masters like him who have to prepare the game. And Carlo, between Spanish and English, has a clear idea of ​​what kind of game he will have to prepare. “We want to play a complete game – he says -: we have to attack, defend, avoid losing the ball, play well in attack and against attack. We can’t just focus on one side of the game. And we don’t have to think about last year’s game: what was it, we only need to have the first leg last week. We have to fight, have confidence in what we are trying to do: we are tied, there are 90 more minutes to play and anything can happen. We must be confident that we have the qualities needed to create problems. But Pep can be sure: we know each other, there is nothing to invent. ”

CALM

–

Ancelotti mentions one of his best qualities as a coach: calmness. He controls the press conference as much as he does the game. He refuses to be drawn into the Haaland controversy (“He’s probably the best centre-forward in the world and if he didn’t score in the first leg it’s down to our defense “), to identify Real-City as the new modern one. classic of the Champions League, despite the fact that the two teams are facing each other in the elimination stage for the third consecutive year (“There are many teams that can win the Champions League”), to will they be afraid of the statistics that say that Real Madrid lost 4-0 here last year and that City did not lose at home in the cup for years. “For me it is necessary to overcome statistics there were many places where Real Madrid had not won and with me they won.”

BELLINGHAM

–

Calm and confidence is what the player who preceded Ancelotti in the Etihad press room also said: Jude Bellingham. Mature well past his 20s, more in trouble with the Spaniard than with La Liga defences, the new Real star paid tribute to his coach by acknowledging the importance of his impressive contribution at Real . “The signature of a great coach is when he makes you believe you are better than you think you can be. Ancelotti gives me that trust every day – says Bellingham -, as well as the freedom to go to the pitch and be as efficient as possible. He was amazing to me, he helped me realize my potential even by letting me play for the first time in my career. It’s definitely thanks to him that I got off to such a good start and I’m very grateful to have him as a coach.” There’s another message well past his 20s that Bellingham wants to send, one of strong anti-racism and not just in support of his friend Vinicius. “It’s a shame what he has to endure, a shame that a player has to prepare for an away game knowing that opposing fans can insult him because of the color of his skin I would like football to do more to prevent this, because if someone like Vini had to take a step back because of what is happening it would be a huge loss for all of football. “