Ancelotti hopes to get mental edge over Manchester City at Home
Carlo Ancelotti believes that winning the mental battle will be as important as the result when his team faces Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. While he knows that his team will have to perform at their best to beat City, Ancelotti thinks that gaining an edge over the opponent can also be in the mind, not just on the scoreboard. "If you play well, give trouble to your rival, put them in an uncomfortable position, it's a mental advantage," he said in a press conference.
Real Madrid defeated Osasuna 2-1 on Saturday to win the Copa del Rey, which has given the team a much-needed confidence boost following a run of poor results. Although the Italian is not preparing a special plan to stop City striker Erling Haaland, he praised the Norwegian's stunning form and the spark he brings to City's attack.
Haaland set a Premier League scoring record last week when he netted his 35th league goal of the campaign.
"We are not preparing a match to stop a player, we are preparing to stop an entire team who looks unstoppable," Ancelotti said. "Manchester City didn't change their style to accommodate Haaland, they have more options vertically with him using long balls and a more direct approach," he said. "But they are still a team that work the ball really well." Despite talking about the need for a balanced approach, Ancelotti revealed that defending must be their main priority: "If you defend well, the worst thing that can happen is a draw. However, last year we conceded five goals and scored six to beat them.
I would take it right now to repeat that same scenario this year."
Real's veteran midfielder Toni Kroos also stressed the importance of taking their chances if they are to beat a well-oiled machine like Man City. "We must play well and score goals. As simple as that," Kroos told a news conference. "To be solid on defense is also important when you face a rival who scores three goals every game. We need to score, but I trust in the experience we have in games like this."
In summary, Real Madrid will face Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes that winning the mental battle will be as important as the result when his team faces Manchester City.
Although the Italian is not preparing a special plan to stop City striker Erling Haaland, he praised the Norwegian's stunning form and the spark he brings to City's attack. Real's veteran midfielder Toni Kroos stressed the importance of taking their chances if they are to beat a well-oiled machine like Man City.
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