Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that he is open to the idea of starting with four midfielders in his side, following a series of good performances from Dani Ceballos in the center of the pitch. Of course, the downside to that is that it would mean falling one of its four star-studded forwards.
In their last win over Salzburg, Ancelotti tested Fede Valverde at right-back, an experiment that went quite well. Ancelotti was asked about his position, the Italian gave high praise for Uruguayan.
“Obviously he is a complete player, very, very important. He can cover many positions and he does them all perfectly: running, inside midfielder… it's very difficult to find a right back like him. It's hard to choose his best position, so I'm trying to choose which one is his best position in the team. If there is a need for more right backs, he will play there. If it's in midfield, there. '
“He never demands anything and this is also a virtue. He is probably the most complete player in the world right now. He could be a center back without any problem. '
Another player who has impressed of late is Ceballos and Ancelotti confirmed he was willing to trust him in the biggest games to come. The media also compared him to Toni Kroos.
“Ceballos has contributed a lot during this period. He has returned to his best form after several muscular problems and is now in very good shape. He looks safer with the ball. Of course he can play in the important games. ”
Ancelotti has spent no shortage of time in recent weeks emphasizing defensive commitment as the key factor for a successful season, something he believes his players are coming to grips with.
“Yes. It is something we have talked about a lot in these periods and we will continue to do so. We are focusing on improving at the back, the team understands this and is doing this without a doubt. They are aware that this is the is key to success.”
Despite Raul Asencio now being a regular in the backline, and the likes of Lorenzo Aguado and Diego Aguado playing in the Copa del Rey, Ancelotti claimed he had not changed his approach to academy players.
'No, I'm still the same. The idea is always the same: win. If it is with youth players, fine, because they deserve to play. They take advantage of the opportunities that injuries have opened up for the time being. Asencio, Jacobo, Loren … they are people who take advantage of the absences we have had. “
Comments