La Liga: Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid discussion

Carlo Ancelotti appeared in the Ciudad Real Madrid press room. The Italian spoke about the game against Real Sociedad: “We going into the match motivated; we have to keep winning. It's our first away game and we have to win. the Anoeta is always a very difficult place to go, but last year we played well there”.

“We have to keep winning and improving our performance on the field in comparison to last Monday. They are tough opponents who will show their quality. Isco is available to play, as is Khedira. Just Coentrão hasn't fully recovered yet”.

“Cristiano is fine, but we wanted to use this week and the next two weeks to ensure he recovers completely and to get him in top condition to prepare for the games against Atlético and the Champions League. He's not in the matchday squad”.

Market
“I can't confirm anything. The market closes on Monday and something may happen or it may not. Some people might think we don't have many players but it's a very versatile squad and we have every position covered. We virtually have five strikers, because Isco, James and Jesé, who returns soon, can play up front”.

“Until the market closes we can't say whether there will be any new signings. The squad isn't decided. It's not a necessity. If we think a signing could be good to improve the squad we'll do it. If not, the squad is very competitive”.


WE HAVE A VERY COMPETITIVE AND VERSATILE SQUAD.


“I have a very competitive squad. With the three new players, who bring a lot of quality, the team has improved compared to last year. Also because of the work we did last season”.

Xabi Alonso
“He explained it very well; he needed other motivations. Everyone at Madrid has a lot of respect for him. It was very difficult to change his idea and we let him go. With the attitude he has had as a player and as a person it would have been very difficult to tell him he couldn't go. We have to thank him and wish him luck”.

“He was very important in the titles we won last year. We have that position well covered with Kroos and Illarra, who could be very useful this season. Xabi leaving was a surprise because everything was fine; he has made the decision and we are a bit surprised but we respect it. He has been honest with Real Madrid and with himself. We respect him”.

Players wanting to leave
“Every situation is different. Some might want to earn more money, some don't like the competition. When someone wants to leave, I intend to let him, because when you're not motivated to be in the greatest team in the world I'm not going to stop you. Each situation is very different. It can be for motivation, for money, because of the competition…”.

Defensive balance
“I'm not worried. We need time and to get the players used to being in a different position on the field. We won't have a problem finding the balance. I've heard a lot of criticism of the team this week. I understand the criticism but we've received so many that it was as if the team had never won the Champions League in Lisbon and I watched the video again. This team deserves a vote of confidence for what it achieved last year. These players have character and personality and this criticism could be another source of motivation”.

Alonso for Kroos
“I think signing Kroos has improved the quality of the midfield and we signed the best possible midfielder to play with Xabi. Later Xabi surprised everyone and we still have Kroos who is 24 years old and Illarra, who has more space to play in”.

His role in the signings
“We make the decisions together with the chairman, the club, the chief executive. It's a group decision. That's how I have always worked, as Real Madrid has, speaking to the manager to do something good for the club. We are all working to win titles for Real Madrid”.

Ludogorets
“We haven't thought about it. I saw what happened in the preliminary round. It was a very exciting finish. We have time to prepare for the match. Bulgaria have a good footballing history and we'll prepare for it as well as possible”.

http://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2014/08/ancelotti-the-anoeta-is-a-very-difficult-place-to-go-but-we-have-to-win-our-first-away-game

Carlo Ancelotti analysed the team’s stumble against Real Sociedad in the Anoeta press room: “It is not easy to evaluate this match. There were two matches. The first 30 minutes were very good, with quality, pace and focus. The rest was very bad. It is difficult to explain what happened. We conceded corners, free-kicks… We’re very sorry, I don’t like the team to play like that for an hour. The first half an hour was very good, but we have to think and change this”.

“It is a defeat that I don’t like at all. Sometimes you can have a bad match but a team like Real Madrid, when they are winning 2-0, have to keep concentrating and maintain their attitude to win the match. We didn’t do that, I am responsible and we’ll do something to change".

"We had no balance in the last hour. We did not have a good defensive system. When we scored the second we were a little bit weak and defended badly”.

The newcomers
“This defeat does not change anything. We have to change something because that is not good enough. We have to change our attitude and focus. The new signings need time to adapt. In matches like today’s it is more difficult for the newcomers”.

The system
“Without the ball, we had two lines of four and two strikers to avoid through-balls and prevent long balls. In the first half hour we did it well, but not for the rest of the match. It is a normal system that we had last year”.

The loss of Xabi Alonso
“It is not a problem with one player. We lost everything after a god first half an hour. When the whole team does not have a good attitude it is difficult for just one player to change that”.

http://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2014/08/ancelotti-were-very-sorry-i-dont-like-the-team-to-play-like-that-for-an-hour