Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti commented on his victory over Liverpool in the first leg of the 16th round of the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League.
Al Merengue managed a massive 5/2 victory over Liverpool at home to Anfield and ahead of the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.
It is worth noting that Real Madrid is the owner of the European Champions League, having won the title for the fourteenth time in the last draw against Liverpool.
Ancelotti’s first comment since Real Madrid beat Liverpool in the Champions League
Ancelotti said at a press conference after the meeting: Analysis of the match? It’s not easy, especially considering how the game started. We never lost faith and controlled the ball little by little, always making an impact in attack. Vinicius had a great match and the first half was good.
He continued: “We have to believe that in the second leg we will have to struggle and suffer again. I think Rodrigo did a great job tonight when you have that kind of progress he should help and he did.
He added: “Liverpool out of the race? It’s not over yet. Liverpool struggled in the second half, but we also struggled in the first half because they pressed a lot, but we’re happy because overall the game was good.
He added: “We suffered a lot today as we didn’t expect the match to start like this and Liverpool took advantage of that. Nevertheless, we remained focused, added by the minute, returned to the game and won with a well-deserved score.
And he continued: “Did you imagine such a match as today? Yes, it was difficult. I tried to field another team, not the final in Paris. This lineup was amazing and did what I needed.
And he continued: “The record here can be important, so I chose a dangerous striker, which is Rodrigo. He was great defensively and that helped us a lot, he was constantly attacking and giving assists. We bet on open play tonight.
And he continued: “Is Real Madrid the favorite to win the Champions League? I do not know that. We took advantage of those 90 minutes and we need to have a good time in Madrid for the rest of the minutes. Liverpool are a very competitive team, they gave us a lot of trouble early in the game. Things haven’t ended yet
And he continued: “The season does not stop, you have to be amazing and play your best. We are confident that we can do it right.
He continued: Nacho? The problem we had at the beginning was on the left because I asked Luca to push Fabinho a little more and we realized that this was not the best solution. Nacho defended in every aspect because he always gives his all, no matter what position he plays.
In his talk about Nacho, he added: “Nacho has a football intelligence that surpasses the defensive level and he is one of the few others. Things went very well in the second half.
According to Vinicius, he said: “Vinicius? Today he is the most decisive player in world football. There is currently no player with this continuity. He doesn’t stop. At this moment he is the most determined, I hope he will continue in the same spirit, because he can achieve a lot.
He concluded by saying, “We did a great job today. Veterans such as Karim, Modric, Kroos help a lot in this aspect, albeit from the bench.