Real Madrid vs Villarreal discussion

Real Madrid face Villarreal tomorrow at the Santiago Bernabéu on matchday 23 of the La Liga season and Carlo Ancelotti has appeared before the media to preview the match: “We have a very tough game. Villarreal are a very good team. We were put under a lot of pressure in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season. We worked very hard on Wednesday in a game of high intensity, and to win tomorrow, we need more of the same. Maximum intensity and maximum concentration. It will no doubt be more difficult to reach that level because the game on Wednesday was very intense. But I'm convinced that the players are ready to play another game and show that same intensity.

The manager confirmed that Bale will start the game tomorrow and explained the physical condition of the Welshman: “He will play from the start tomorrow; he is fit. He has no problems and is fit to play. He will be ready to perform. I always tell the truth. When I don't need to tell the truth, I don't say anything. When I say Bale is fit, it means that Bale is fit. When I say that Bale's absence from Wednesday's match was to prevent a recurrence of his injury, that is the truth. I preferred to have him match fit for tomorrow's game. He will play tomorrow, which is an indication that there was no recurrence of his injury on Wednesday. I am telling the truth. He simply took a knock to his calf from Arbeloa. He was unable to play for 20-25 days but that's all. He hasn't had any problems since".

Jesé was one of the star performers in the semi final first leg Cup match and in respect of the good performances that he is putting in, Ancelotti said: "I'm very pleased with the work he is doing. He has grown a lot as a player recently. He is confident, but we mustn't forget that he is very young. It's his first season in the first team. Everything is going well. He has a good head on his shoulders but we have to be very careful with him. We should speak about what he is doing now, which is very impressive. He is doing well. He's important for us but I don't think we should speak about his future because that's not he needs right now".

About the prospects of the forward from the Canary Islands, the Real Madrid manager spoke in clear terms: “It's not the right time to speak about these things. Real Madrid are lucky to have a player with this talent and this quality who has come through the youth system. The work that the youth system has put in with Jesé in previous years has been very good. A player who is ready to play in the first team has arrived this year.  The growth of this player has been extraordinary. He is a big talent. We have to be careful with him, but he still has a lot of growing to do. In his first season, he is performing really well but he has to keep on working hard and he must understand that he has to improve because he has the ability to do so. And it is our job to help him with this".

“All the players are happy with the performances of Jesé. We are a stronger squad with him in it. Maybe at the start of the season no-one thought that he would be in a position to help the team and I think he is performing really well. Everyone's very pleased, such as Bale for example”, he stated.

In reference to the starting 11 that will face Villarreal, Ancelotti explained: “For tomorrow's line-up, we'll see. Some of those who played on Wednesday, which was a very intense game, have not completely recovered and I am not going to start players who are not fully fit. Because we have fresh players such as Isco and Illarra. If any of those players who played against Atlético Madrid are not fully fit, they may not feature. I am referring to Alonso, Di María and Pepe”.

The Whites defeated Atlético Madrid last Wednesday in the semi final first leg of the Cup. Regarding what happened in that game and if he had said anything to his players, he explained: “I haven't said anything because I have played in many derby matches and they are games with a lot of rivalry between the teams. And from time to time, there are scuffles on the pitch. I think that's part and parcel of the game and that's why I didn't say anything. I'm proud of how the players performed on the pitch. They played very well and with a lot of intensity". In reference to the return leg and the players who could miss the final through suspension, in the event that they make it that far, he stated: “I'm not thinking that far ahead. We have to play an important league match tomorrow and then we will field our best team possible against Atlético because the tie is not over”.

Lastly, when asked about Cristiano Ronaldo's suspension and Ayza Gámez, the Real Madrid manager said: "Cristiano Ronaldo is available for tomorrow's game. Until the board makes its decision, Cristiano is available and he is focused on the game. We'll see what happens after that. On the subject of the suspension of the referee, that is none of my concern and I don't want to talk about it. It's of no interest to me. I don't know why he was suspended”.

halamadrid2 wrote:Bilbao are unbeaten at home while villarreal have a below average away record

titosantill wrote:wow modric,  wow

Carlo Ancelotti spoke with the media after Real Madrid’s win against Villarreal with which the Whites extended their good start to the year. The Italian coach spoke about the way that his team had played and the form that they are in: "We are doing well because we are really focused. It was a different type of match today because the energy was different. We have suffered a little because Villarreal played well, but we played well on the break and made the most of them". He also praised Benzema, who scored twice, "He is a very complete player and is important for us".

Bale, Jesé and Benzema, twice, scored in Real Madrid’s fourteenth consecutive win at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ancelotti spoke about the how the Whites are doing: "The team is doing well, we have to be focused and do things well. All matches are tough and the players have a lot of matches in their legs and it will not always be easy to play well. Tuesday will be difficult, but I’m sure that we will play well because it's a derby and we will be really focused".

When asked about Benzema, he was clear: "He is very important for us, not only because he scores, but because we can ask different things of him sometimes. For example, today we needed a forward that is clever in the area because our plan was to put in plenty of crosses. Sometimes I ask him to slow things down a little and he does that well too. He is a very complete player and is very important for us". Regarding Cristiano’s absence, he said: "Cristiano not being there motivates the others because he is indispensable for us. Without him, the others do more work".

Ancelotti also had words of praise for Jesé: "He is doing well and that is great. He helps the team, works hard and is doing very well. For his age, he is doing very well and that is a very good thing for everyone". About Modric and the ovation that the fans gave him, he said: "Balance is not given by one player, but by the team working together. Modric works hard. He deserves what the Bernabéu gave him today".

Regarding Bale, he said: "He had a good match, like everyone did. It was not easy and I understand that after the effort against Atlético Madrid, it wouldn’t be easy. Bale played well and got a goal and an assist". When asked about the positions that Bale and Jesé played in, he said: "I didn’t change them today because they both scored. They are both more comfortable shooting from that position and cutting inside. They are good using the outside from that position".

The Italian spoke about Isco: "I always have him in mind because when he has played he has done very well. Today was not the time to play him because we had to make changes because of injuries, but it is likely that he will play the next match". Also, when asked whether the problems that Marcelo and Coentrão had would prevent them from playing on Tuesday, he said: "I don’t think so. Marcelo took a knock on the back and couldn’t carry on. The leg that Coentrão had the injury with was bothering him and I preferred to take him off to avoid problems later".