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Transcript: Carlo Ancelotti’s Post-Match Press Conference Following Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey Win

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media following Real Madrid's Copa del Rey win.
Apratim Banerjee|
IMAGO / PsnewZ

Real Madrid managed a 3-2 away win against Leganes in their Copa del Rey quarter-final on February 5. Luka Modric (18') and Endrick (25') gave the team a two goal cushion before Juan Criuz (39' P, 59') made it 2-2.

Gonzalo Garcia scored an injury time winner (90+3') to make it 3-2 for Los Blancos. Real Madrid are now through to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey and Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media after the game.

Read on to know what he said (via Real Madrid):

Q: Thoughts on the win

Ancelotti: It was an even and competitive game. I think we started well, we took the lead. The team played very well in attack and were very effective. At the back, we struggled a bit, but that's quite normal.

Q: On Gonzalo Garcia

Ancelotti: Jacobo struggled a bit in the first half. He was a bit nervous at the beginning and then he was more effective in his passing. Gonzalo is on a very good run with Castilla and he also contributed tonight. We can be satisfied with what the young players have done because they've helped the team. We have to play them because it's a difficult moment that we have to handle with matches like today's, when we had to dig in. We're in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. Endrick scored and gave a good account of himself. Arda Güler also worked hard for the team. We can take satisfaction from this match.

Q: On the club's youth system

Ancelotti: The youth system is doing a very good job and well-prepared players are coming through. Of course they lack experience, but they're doing very well. Asencio since he come through, Gonzalo, Jacobo. You have to remember that Jacobo has just come back from a long injury. He hasn't been able to play for three months. Now he's started, but he's still missing something. We know that we can count on them.

Q: On academy players getting more minutes

Ancelotti: I put the team together to try to win games and it's not just to give minutes to the youth team. Obviously, we have to be pleased when a young player from our youth team contributes to the first team. This year, they've had the opportunity to play more minutes with the injuries we've had and they're doing well.

Q: On Jacobo's development

Ancelotti: Jacobo has more to offer than (what he did) today. He struggled a lot in the first half of the game. He's a very good defender. We're counting on him and he'll be with us until the end of the season. And certainly, he's going to play better than he did today, I'm convinced about that.

Q: On Gonzalo Garcia's goal

Ancelotti: It was a goal just in time, in the last minute. With extra time it would have been a bit more difficult to recover. The team is fine, we left some players out to rest and to be ready for Saturday.

Q: On Aurelien Tchouameni

Ancelotti: Hopefully Camavinga can recover for Saturday's game, he is a doubt, like Valverde was a doubt. Today Lucas Vázquez had a slight problem and couldn't play at right-back. That's the doubt I have. Tchouameni as a pivot brings a lot to the team, especially defensively. He was pleased to play there and I told him not to be too happy.

Q: On Valverde's positioning in the upcoming games

Ancelotti: We have to take it one game at a time. That's how we have to manage the emergency we have. We have to put together a strong line-up for Saturday's game and then we'll see what happens. Valverde brings a lot to the side because he's a spectacular player. Wherever I put him, he delivers. If I put him at full-back he looks like he's been playing there for a long time. He also brings a lot as a pivot. It's difficult to think that Tchouameni and Valverde will both play in the back line. One of the two can play and we'll see each game how we do.

Q: On Luka Modric's anger

Ancelotti: You must always respect what Modrić says.

Q: On having a clear game plan

Ancelotti: For this line-up, we have taken into account the next two games, so we don't wear the team down too much. Especially because we have an emergency at the back. It's not only because of this but also because of the young players we have, like Arda Güler, Endrick and Jacobo, we have to give them minutes so that they can get up to speed and be more useful in the next games.

Q: On Vinicius Jr's role

Ancelotti: On a footballing level, Vinicius was his usual self. He was very fresh, very decisive when one-on-one. He had a lot of chances, provided Brahim with an assist and then got booked. Nothing new, everything as usual.

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Apratim Banerjee
APRATIM BANERJEE

Apratim is an experienced sports journalist having covered European and World Football, Combat Sports, Olympic Sports, and more for online media publications like Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, and more. He is currently an MSc. in Sport Marketing student at Loughborough University, London.

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