Real Madrid managed to leave the south of Spain with a 2-1 win over Almeria on Sunday night, but it was a difficult match and they went in trailing 1-0 at half time.
At that point, Carlo Ancelotti substituted off Eduardo Camavinga for Luka Modric, while new signing Aurelien Tchouameni didn’t last much longer.
Asked after the game if the Real Madrid shirt weighed heavy on the young players who took part, the Italian partially agreed.
“The youngsters deserved to play because of what they’re doing in training,” the coach said.
“But, maybe this game weighed on them a little in an emotional sense.
“They didn’t show the quality they’ve been showing in training, but that’s normal since they’re young and it’s tough to wear this shirt.
“I didn’t take Camavinga off because of anything he did wrong, just that he was on a yellow.”
The coach went on to reflect on the game as a whole.
“We started the match poorly, as they found space in behind,” he said.
“That made the game difficult, as they were very good at closing off space.
“We had many shots, but struggled to score.
“In the second half, they were more tired and we had more control and chances.
“Lucas Vazquez did well [to equalise]. He is always alert, always showing the right intensity and the right attitude.”
Ancelotti provides an update on Asensio’s future
During the post-match press conference at the Power Horse Stadium, the coach was asked about Marco Asensio, who didn’t even warm up.
“For as long as he is a Real Madrid player, he is a Real Madrid player,” Ancelotti said.
“We need to remember how good he was last year.
“Anything can happen before August 31, but for now he is an important Real Madrid player.”
