Carlo Ancelotti spoke in the press room at the Santiago Bernabéu as he gave his assessment of Real Madrid‘s win over Valladolid in the second match of the La Liga season: "We have to be pleased with the win. We have to remember the problems we encountered, especially in the first half. We improved defensively. The rhythm of the first half was loose and slow. We were more energetic up front in the second half and had more mobility on the ball".

"The team played closer together and got the ball back quickly when we lost it. They were better defensively than in the Mallorca game. It's not just the forwards who were better; we were better as a unit today".

Valverde's free-kick goal
"It's much more difficult to score from a direct free-kick in football these days. Valverde strikes it well and we have to take advantage of it. It's difficult to score from a direct free-kick because the wall jumps as well and it's very difficult. Valverde is a danger in that situation, he did very well today and he's obviously the one who has to take free kicks. I'm not going to put him under pressure".

Mbappé's qualities
"He's a superb forward, very quick, he has good movement off the ball, he attacks the back and he's had three or four chances that he's created with his movement. He's going to score in that position because he always has. He doesn't need to play on the left or centrally all the time because he's going to score a lot of goals".

Endrick's potential
"He's looking very good and he has a lot of potential. He has shown his quality very quickly with his control and he's got a very powerful shot. He's a centre forward and very dangerous in tight spaces".

What is it like to have a player like Valverde?
"He is still improving, he shows a lot more character and he has a lot more responsibility in the team now. He's an irreplaceable player thanks to his quality, his strength and his intelligence. We're lucky to have him. When Kroos left the club, I think he chose the perfect player to replace him".

Youngsters settling in
"This match is all part of their progression. We have to give both Arda and Endrick minutes gradually so that they can adapt well to the team and make constant progress. They have a good chance every day and every game to play at Real Madrid‘s level".

Managing the team
"'I don't feel under any pressure. I'm very happy as those who are playing less are making the most of the minutes I give them. Lucas Vázquez, for example, is not usually a starter and he's one of the best in training. That's why it's so difficult to choose a starting line-up. I feel a bit sad about it, but it's my responsibility to pick the starters. During this time of the season in the heat, the players get tired".

"When a player is tired, the right thing to do is to raise his hand, but that hasn't happened in 40 years. That's why I have to identify who is tired. The players should take more responsibility in this regard. I've already spoken to them about it because I've got a lot of depth on the bench and there are players who are doing well and deserve to play".

Arda Güler's position
"Arda started as a playmaker and we changed the position with Rodrygo. The question today was whether Arda or Brahim would play. I felt that it should be Güler's game because we were playing at home and he could benefit from the minutes. To be honest, he put in a good performance".

Is Lunin going to stay?
"Yes, he's going to stay".