Asensio: “Ancelotti can count on me”

Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio talked to the media right after scoring his first hat-trick for the club. Much was said and reported in the press about Asensio’s lack of minutes so far this season, but the Spanish attacker made a statement with his performance and showed that he’s ready to play more minutes going forward.

“We’re all very engaged and committed, it’s easy to tell. We are looking forward to completing a great season. [Coach] Ancelotti can count on me, I’m ready. There’s a lot of competition for minutes. The position I played in tonight is a good one for me and I will play wherever coach wants me to do so,” said Asensio.

It’s definitely true that Asensio proved to be an interesting asset for Madrid if Los Blancos need someone alongside Benzema as a second striker. Hazard has been playing that role in recent weeks but Asensio is also a candidate for those minutes.

“I’m delighted. I had the opportunity to play from the start and I knew I had to take my chance. I’ve worked really hard for this moment to come. I’m pleased with the win, the goals and that we‘ve been able to keep the run going. It was a special game for me. Mallorca is a club that’s close to my heart, as I started out there. They’ve a good start to the season and I hope they do well in the rest of it,” he added.

Asensio also wanted to appreciate the fans who got to the Bernabeu in what was his first game at the stadium since the Covid-19 pandemic reached Spain.

“We really missed playing in front of the fans. It was a very emotional moment for me, we really needed that support that we didn’t get during the pandemic. I’m very grateful to all the Real Madrid fans who came to the Bernabéu. We all worked very hard as a team today, in attack and defense. We had fun and I hope the fans did too as a result like this is something to be enjoyed together. The togetherness between the fans and the team was there to be seen,” concluded the attacker.