Don Carlo must be one very happy manager, after his side kick-started their UCL title defending campaign with a win. In an end to end game, Real Madrid managed to come out on top courtesy of goals from Mbappe, Rüdiger and Endrick.
Prior to the encounter, the manager attended his customary post-match presser, where he gave his two cents on the game.
Ancelotti’s post-match presser
In what was a balanced game with chances to both teams, Ancelotti was asked to comment on his sides performance;
“Real Madrid know it better than anyone, what it takes to win the Champions League. In the Champions League, you can’t win games without suffering. You must suffer.”
“We’re still trying to find our best version. Winning games is not easy. I have always suffered in the Champions League. Real Madrid know it.”
Amongst the numerous questions, Ancelotti was again asked to comment on the season as a whole;
“Playing good football? If we think about that we would have not scored our first goal today. Sometimes we have to play vertically because of the players we have upfront.”
“I remember last season, we won 1-0 at 95′ vs Union Berlin and Getafe. The first games are always more difficult. It’s never easy.”
Don Carlo was full of praise for young Endrick, who scored a sensational goal on the night;
“Endrick taking that shot? He has balls.”
“What Endrick is doing at his age is unbelievable, even with the few minutes. He has a lot of courage. It was the last ball, he was convinced he would score and he did it very well.”
“Endrick has a gift. He has something special. His shooting ability… very strong and very special. In these two days he has shown a lot of courage (marrying and scoring).”
On halftime substitution where he withdrew Vasquez for Militão, Don Carlo said;
“CB position? We needed Militão because there were many duels and Lucas Vazquez had a yellow card. Carvajal was good, Lucas too.”
It was another individually incredible performance for Courtois, and Ancelotti was not shy to praise the Belgian;
“Courtois best goalkeeper? Yes, he’s the best in the world right now. But I have had great goalkeepers in my career and now Thibaut is the best.”
In the team’s second goal, worked by Modrić from a corner and headed home by Rüdiger, Ancelotti said;
“We practice a lot of corners, Modrić was very good, also Rodrygo.”
It’s very rare for Ancelotti to substitute his best players, especially when the team is chasing a lead. On Bellingham and Tchouaméni subs, he said;
“No 90 minutes for Bellingham, Tchouaméni? They just came back from injury, they need more training, more work.”
Finally, Don Carlo didn’t shy away from praising star signing kylian Mbappe as he said;
