Ancelotti: “We have a few more disadvantages than Eintracht Frankfurt”

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti talked to UEFA’s media channels to preview the upcoming Supercup Final against Eintracht Frankfurt, which is less than a week away. The Italian coach started by acknowledging that the conditioning of the players will be crucial in this first match.

“We have a few more disadvantages than Eintracht, who start their season earlier, but we’ll play to win. We look forward and not back. Last year’s victories reinforce what we believe, but we need to focus on the upcoming matches. During this coming season, there are six titles at stake, and we want to fight for all of them,” he said.

The Italian coach shared his thoughts about the German side, who won the UEFA Europa League title last season.

“Last year, Eintracht achieved something special because they weren’t among the favorites. They played great games, winning against Barcelona at Camp Nou by playing a counterattacking style of football, with huge attention to defense and high-speed transitions,” he added.

Ancelotti analyzed the signings of Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be expected to play a big role this season even if they are set to come off the bench in the upcoming Final.

“I believe we’ve got two players who are among the best in the world in their role. First of all, their quality increases the team’s physical and technical ability. Then there is [the need to] adapt to the group and the group adapting to them a bit. We must not forget that the three who left, Marcelo, Isco and Bale, have made history for this club in recent years, so the whole of Real Madrid is grateful to those players. We hope the newcomers can repeat the exploits of those who have left,” said the coach.

Ancelotti wrapped up his interview by comparing his two Champions League titles won at Real Madrid.

“In 2014, La Décima was probably more predictable because the team had been close to achieving it so many times already. Gareth Bale had just joined us and we were favourites to win the title from the start. This year, we were anything but favourites, but we still managed to win, thanks to the great cohesion and quality of the team. I think the key factors were the humbleness and experience of the older players, complemented by the energy and enthusiasm of the younger ones,” he concluded.