"Villarreal played well, but we played well on the break and made the most of them", said the coach in the press room
Carlo Ancelotti spoke with the media after Real Madrid’s win against Villarreal with which the Whites extended their good start to the year. The Italian coach spoke about the way that his team had played and the form that they are in: "We are doing well because we are really focused. It was a different type of match today because the energy was different. We have suffered a little because Villarreal played well, but we played well on the break and made the most of them". He also praised Benzema, who scored twice, "He is a very complete player and is important for us".
Bale, Jesé and Benzema, twice, scored in Real Madrid’s fourteenth consecutive win at the Santiago Bernabéu. Ancelotti spoke about the how the Whites are doing: "The team is doing well, we have to be focused and do things well. All matches are tough and the players have a lot of matches in their legs and it will not always be easy to play well. Tuesday will be difficult, but I’m sure that we will play well because it's a derby and we will be really focused".
When asked about Benzema, he was clear: "He is very important for us, not only because he scores, but because we can ask different things of him sometimes. For example, today we needed a forward that is clever in the area because our plan was to put in plenty of crosses. Sometimes I ask him to slow things down a little and he does that well too. He is a very complete player and is very important for us". Regarding Cristiano’s absence, he said: "Cristiano not being there motivates the others because he is indispensable for us. Without him, the others do more work".
Ancelotti also had words of praise for Jesé: "He is doing well and that is great. He helps the team, works hard and is doing very well. For his age, he is doing very well and that is a very good thing for everyone". About Modric and the ovation that the fans gave him, he said: "Balance is not given by one player, but by the team working together. Modric works hard. He deserves what the Bernabéu gave him today".
Regarding Bale, he said: "He had a good match, like everyone did. It was not easy and I understand that after the effort against Atlético Madrid, it wouldn’t be easy. Bale played well and got a goal and an assist". When asked about the positions that Bale and Jesé played in, he said: "I didn’t change them today because they both scored. They are both more comfortable shooting from that position and cutting inside. They are good using the outside from that position".
The Italian spoke about Isco: "I always have him in mind because when he has played he has done very well. Today was not the time to play him because we had to make changes because of injuries, but it is likely that he will play the next match". Also, when asked whether the problems that Marcelo and Coentrão had would prevent them from playing on Tuesday, he said: "I don’t think so. Marcelo took a knock on the back and couldn’t carry on. The leg that Coentrão had the injury with was bothering him and I preferred to take him off to avoid problems later".
When asked about Benzema, he was clear: "He is very important for us, not only because he scores, but because we can ask different things of him sometimes. For example, today we needed a forward that is clever in the area because our plan was to put in plenty of crosses. Sometimes I ask him to slow things down a little and he does that well too. He is a very complete player and is very important for us". Regarding Cristiano’s absence, he said: "Cristiano not being there motivates the others because he is indispensable for us. Without him, the others do more work".
Ancelotti also had words of praise for Jesé: "He is doing well and that is great. He helps the team, works hard and is doing very well. For his age, he is doing very well and that is a very good thing for everyone". About Modric and the ovation that the fans gave him, he said: "Balance is not given by one player, but by the team working together. Modric works hard. He deserves what the Bernabéu gave him today".
Regarding Bale, he said: "He had a good match, like everyone did. It was not easy and I understand that after the effort against Atlético Madrid, it wouldn’t be easy. Bale played well and got a goal and an assist". When asked about the positions that Bale and Jesé played in, he said: "I didn’t change them today because they both scored. They are both more comfortable shooting from that position and cutting inside. They are good using the outside from that position".
The Italian spoke about Isco: "I always have him in mind because when he has played he has done very well. Today was not the time to play him because we had to make changes because of injuries, but it is likely that he will play the next match". Also, when asked whether the problems that Marcelo and Coentrão had would prevent them from playing on Tuesday, he said: "I don’t think so. Marcelo took a knock on the back and couldn’t carry on. The leg that Coentrão had the injury with was bothering him and I preferred to take him off to avoid problems later".
