The clasico against FC Barcelona on Sunday is
“a great opportunity to get closer to the title
,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti assured Saturday.
This clash of the 32nd day between the two Spanish giants is in fact the last opportunity for the Catalans, reigning champions, to make up a little their eight-point deficit on a Real of astonishing solidity at the top of the championship (78 points, 24 victories, only one defeat).
A victory at the Santiago Bernabéu, where the Madrid club is still undefeated this season, would give it an 11-point lead with just six days to go before the end of the season and with 18 points to collect.
“We will be very close to the title if we manage to win, keeping in mind that we are playing against a very competitive opponent. It will be a clasico which will, as always, be a very competitive and balanced match
,” explained Ancelotti.
Mendy spared but available
French full-back Ferland Mendy did not participate in Saturday's training, but the Italian coach wanted to be reassuring.
“We are recovering well, there are players who need one more day like Mendy. But they will all be in the group, we have no problems
,” declared Ancelotti after the colossal effort of his men to snatch qualification for the semi-final of the Champions League on penalties against Manchester City on Wednesday.
“Mendy was tired and we preferred to give him an extra day of rest
,” said Ancelotti, who praised the French player, according to him
“the best in the world”
at his left-back position.
“He’s very important to us, he doesn’t care about being in the spotlight, he cares about contributing and he contributes fantastically. It’s not easy to dribble him,”
he said.
The “most important” match of the season for Barça
For his part, FC Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez assured that Sunday's meeting was
"the most important of the season"
for the Catalan club, and the last opportunity to save its season, after a new European disillusionment against Paris SG (4-1).
“We have a lot of respect for Real Madrid, who have only lost one game out of 31, and whose statistics are extraordinary
,” added the former midfielder.
“Some people talk about luck (on Real's qualification against City), but I don't believe in luck. It’s due to their efforts, their defensive work and the solidarity they showed,”
explained Xavi.
“It's not luck to have eliminated the best team in the world twice in three years. This is the team we have to fight against in the league
,” he concluded.