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The Real Madrid manager seemed in good spirits during today's press conference. When asked for his first thoughts on the match, Ancelotti responded by saying "The team played well and showed a lot of personality. The young players showed a lot of personality and character, and that speaks well of our youth academy."
It will be interesting to see how youngsters like Medran and Vazquez develop working with Zidane on a daily basis.
When asked specifically about the team's attacking play without the likes of Benzema and Ronaldo, Ancelotti said, "The style of play of the team was good. Physically, we showed good intensity for 45 minutes. But after that, it is difficult to find a solution quickly. In attack, we played well."
Although both teams finished the match with eleven men on the pitch, today's match was definitely more combative than most preseason friendlies. When asked about the number of fouls and physical nature of the game, Ancelotti responded by saying he was not surprised at all and it was a just part of the game.
Fitting for a Real Madrid press conference, the focus of today's conference then switched to the superstar players currently on the books.
When asked about goalscorer Gareth Bale having a preseason this year, Ancelotti said, "Bale has a chance to enjoy this part of the preseason, which he didn't have last year. I think we're going to see a special season from him." The former Tottenham star showed flashes of brilliance last season, but this could be the year Real Madrid fans see a fully fit and firing Gareth Bale.
With James Rodríguez stealing headlines the past few weeks in the Spanish capital, reporters asked Ancelotti for his opinion on the new signing. The Real Madrid manager responded: "He will join the team on the first of August. He's a very important player. He's young, an important investment for the future of the club."
After breaking the bank on Colombia's World Cup star, Di María has been heavily linked with a big-money move to Ligue 1 champions PSG. When asked about Di María, "at this moment there is no news. He's been on break and vacation after the World Cup, and he's scheduled to join the team on August 5th."
The transfer rumor mill has also linked Falcao with a move back to the Spanish capital. When asked about his attacking options and playing with a natural number 9, Ancelotti said, "We have Benzema. Isco can play as a false nine, but obviously it's important to have a centre-forward. At this point, we are not looking for a centre-forward."
With a crowd of more than 62,000 for the team's first preseason friendly, it is clear that Real Madrid have quite the following in the Bay Area. Ancelotti made it clear that "We are really happy here. Here we find fantastic support, and it's really nice to play this kind of game and to know how many people love Real Madrid."