Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti will make at least five changes to his team when it faces Atletico Madrid, in what should be a tense Champions League last 16 second leg tie on Wednesday.
Los Blancos go to the Metropolitano with a 2-1 advantage earned at the Bernabeu last week, and at a prematch press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Ancelotti was asked if the match in question will mark a “cycle”.
“It allows us to continue dreaming in this competition, as in the past. It’s a more complicated round of 16 than other years, but we are confident,” he first stated.
With Atleti just a point behind Madrid in La Liga, it was also put to the Italian whether there is “equality” between the two teams from the capital despite the UCL being the record holder and current champion’s “territory”.
“Duels against Atletico have always been competitive, sometimes they have won, other times we have won… It will be competitive,” he promised.
After spot kicks decided the 2016 title between the two rivals, it was put to Ancelotti how he faces such a prospect.
“We want to play in the quarterfinals whoever it is. Repeating a penalty is complicated in training. We are clear about who would go in case of launching the shootout. In training… there you can see how one player kicks, if he kicks it better than another…”
“When we make the list of penalties we take into account what we saw in training, if it is more accurate, safe, if he looks at the goalkeeper or not… When the shootout comes, the mental aspect is very important. The mental is more important than the technical. I’ve had very good players at penalties who then didn’t have the feeling to do it in a shootout.
“I’ve won the Champions League with defenders like [Alessandro] Nesta, Serginho… taking penalties, which were well prepared,” Ancelotti reminded us.
“If the player is honest, he can raise his arm and say he’s not ready, that’s fine, you have to take responsibility if you’re ready.”
Starting this one then for Madrid will be goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who returns to the side along with fullbacks Ferland Mendy, Fede Valverde and central defender Toni Rudiger, who is partnered by rookie Raul Asencio.
Frenchmen Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are the pivots, with a more advanced line of Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo in front of them.
Up top is lone striker Kylian Mbappe, who was criticized for his showing in the first leg but scored at the weekend against Rayo Vallecano.