Valladolid vs Real Madrid discussion

The La Liga title is at stake in the three matches remaining for Real Madrid. The first of them is an away game with Valladolid and Carlo Ancelotti stated before the match: “It's a final. It's a decisive match for both teams. That's the attitude we have to have. The only chance we have of being La Liga champions is by winning all three matches. That's our goal. Atlético has the advantage, if they get four points, they win the league. Our goal is to win all three matches and see what happens”.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is fine. He's a little tired and only played part of the training session. He's available tomorrow and he'll play. Carvajal is not available as he has a niggle, neither is Bale, who picked up a knock in the match. The others are all available. Modric too, who didn't train yesterday. He trained well today and can play”.

The team's form
“I think it's good. We have players with extraordinary experience in title fights here. I see a team with a lot of character. But it can happen. After a semi-final you have a mental lull, but not a physical one. Physically I think the team was better than Valencia. But there was a lack of mental energy that we have recovered in recent days”.

Benzema's form
“I'm not worried because he scored a very important goal in the first leg of the semi-finals, and while he didn't score in the second leg he put in a great performance. I can't complain at all about the strikers this season. We've scored more than 150 goals. Everyone's work up front, including Cristiano's, who's scored 50 goals, is fantastic. Ronaldo scored a lot of goals because everyone else's work has been so good”.
PLAYING AGAINST A TEAM THAT IS FIGHTING FOR SAFETY WILL NOT BE EASY.
“Because of his game, Illarramendi is a player who can replace Alonso. He has the same type of game. He didn't play well against Valencia but that does not change anything in our preparations for the final. Khedira is getting better. He's available tomorrow and can play part of the match. If he doesn't play much tomorrow, on Thursday we'll have a quick game for him and Arbeloa”.

Chance of Barcelona beating Atlético
“I'm sure they'll go there to win. At the moment both teams are going to try and win. I've seen some surprising results this week. Levante, who have nothing to play for, played really well against Atlético. Also Valencia, who were not playing for anything, had a really good game against us. This is good for the consistency of the league. All the teams are in the fight right until the end and we are too”.

“I think everyone is professional. I think that Barcelona will play against Atlético and give their all. In all league competitions the final matches are played at the same time and I think the same will happen here”.

Possible meeting between Luis Enrique and Barcelona
“I don't think that will have any effect on things. These three points are in our hands and we have to win them. Tomorrow is an essential game because we know that if we don't win this match we lose the league. We are very focused and it will be different to the game against Valencia, where the energy was not as good. We've recovered and tomorrow we're going to give our all to win the game, because it's essential for winning the league, as is Saturday's game”.

“I don't see anything in particular. I think Barcelona could be on the lookout for a coach for next year. I don't know what Barcelona's plan for the future is. It could be that they have discussed their future and I don't think they've spoken about the game against Real Madrid”.

Win bonuses
“I don't understand it. I don't think the players need money to be professionals. It's not as bad as paying for losing a match, but because of the professionalism of the players, they don't need a bonus to be more professional. The player has to be professional for his own image, for that of the club and for that of football”.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti cut a frustrated figure in his post-match press conference, after his side were held to a draw away at Real Valladolid and their chances of winning La Liga, were all but extinguished.

Following the 1-1 draw at the José Zorilla on Wednesday night and giving his thoughts about the game, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti felt his team took their foot off the gas and paid a heavy price, as their opponents fought their way back at the end.

“We lost control, but I don’t think it was due to any lack of attitude. Iker hasn’t had a save to make all game. I think the team did well, but in the end we made things difficult for ourselves. I think that we took too much of a step back defending and from a set-piece, we conceded the goal.”

Cristiano Ronaldo had to limp off after just eight minutes, whilst there was also concern for Ángel Di María at the end of the game. Ancelotti remains confident that both should be fine for the games to come, but admits their progress will have to be carefully monitored.

“I don’t think Cristiano has a major problem, but he wasn’t comfortable at all, so that’s why we made the change. Pepe has finished the game okay and I don’t think Di María has any serious problems, but we’ll have to see over the next few days.”

Asked if he could pinpoint why Real Madrid have failed to secure wins in their last two games, Ancelotti underlined a lack of mental energy, just the same as he did after last weekend’s draw against Valencia.

“A number of things have gone wrong over the last two games, especially with our mental energy. That’s what we’ve lacked most in the last two games.”

With concerns that Real Madrid are collapsing ahead of the most important challenge yet to come, the Champions League final, Ancelotti insisted that there’s plenty of time to have the team prepared, but admitted that the intensity of the action has somewhat knocked the wind out of their sails, since the semi-final thrashing they dealt Bayern Munich.

“We have plenty of days to prepare for the final, but I don’t see the team as being physically tired. After the semi-final, it’s not been easy to recover important energy, especially at this stage of the season.”

As for any hopes of winning La Liga, five points behind and with only six points left in play, Ancelotti acknowledged that there’s almost no chance now for his team and offered a frustrated response, when asked to choose who he’d prefer to clinch the title.

“It’s very difficult for us to win La Liga now, but it’s not yet mathematical. We must try to win our last two games, but it is going to be difficult and as for who’s favourite now, I really don’t care.”

http://www.insidespanishfootball.com/107320/ancelotti-weve-lacked-mental-energy-in-our-last-two-games/