Carlo Ancelotti has spoken about Sunday’s LaLiga Santander clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid and the Italian delivered quite a different message from Ronald Koeman, who had stated earlier in the day that he wasn’t scared of this fixture.
Ancelotti, on the other hand, explained that he thinks it can be good to have a little fear ahead of a huge match like this.
“It’s normal to be a little scared ahead of these games, as being scared can be good,” he said in his pre-match press conference.
“If you don’t have fear then you can go up to a lion thinking it’s a cat. So, fear is a positive feeling.
“I’m not saying I feel terrified. It’s just that there are worse things in life than losing a football match.”
The coach revealed that he will have Dani Carvajal and Eden Hazard available again, although he wouldn’t confirm if either would start and seemed to suggest that neither would be in the XI.
“I’m not going to talk about the line-up before I’ve spoken about it with the players,” Ancelotti said.
“We’ve welcomed back Dani Carvajal and Eden Hazard. It is difficult to start a player who is just back from injury, but what’s important is that they’re back and could feature.
“All players know they could be important. They know that they can make a difference even if coming off the bench.”
Discussing Fede Valverde and the role he might have if he plays instead of Rodrygo, Ancelotti said it would be wrong to expect the Uruguayan to perform at his best in the wing position.
“If I ask him to be Rodrygo then I’d be making a mistake, and the same if it were the opposite way round,” he said.
“I have looked at last season’s Clasicos, definitely. I have taken information from that.
“Every opponent has their own characteristics. Without losing our identity, we’ll adapt.
“We might play differently against Barcelona compared to how we played against Shakhtar, since they’re different opponents.”
Barcelona will be without Lionel Messi, as this is their first Clasico since his departure. But, this won’t change much from Ancelotti’s point of view.
“There’s no Messi, but Barcelona have other very good players,” he said.
“We’re facing Barcelona. It’s a Barcelona without Messi, but I don’t want this to change our approach to the game.
“It has always been difficult against Barcelona and it always will be.
“I have never won at the Camp Nou. I think now is the time, but it won’t be easy.”
