Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media in the press room at Real Madrid City and discussed the Clásico on matchday 35 of LaLiga: “It's always a special game because of the rivalry and the fans' desire to beat Barcelona. Also, it's the last Clásico of the season because Barcelona are not playing in the Club World Cup. The team is doing well, they've trained well and are focused on what we have to do. We're motivated and excited. It's an important game with a lot at stake and we're full of confidence in our belief that we can do it. It's going to be very difficult, like all the games against Barcelona, but the last match gives us the confidence to try to win tomorrow.”

“In this type of game, you have to do things well and defend well because Barcelona pin you back in your own half, but when you have the ball you have to take advantage of their weaknesses because no team is perfect. They've had a great season, but there's a lot at stake and you have to manage the small details, the tempo, defend and attack well. All the little details, as in all the Clásicos.”

Will set-pieces be key?
“In the last two years we've done well at set pieces. We have two very good crossers in Modrić and Arda and very good headers like Tchouameni, but we're missing Rüdiger, who has scored a lot of goals from set pieces. There are many important aspects: how to hurt them in their high line in transitions and being aware of offside. We've worked on it and talked about it with the players. If they listen to me, it will work out well.”
 
On winning the league
“Winning a league is very difficult, not as difficult as winning the Champions League, but it needs consistency and the fact that it can be achieved explains perfectly well what tomorrow's match will be like. Both teams have a lot at stake. If they win tomorrow, they will have a better chance of winning it than us, but if we win, the league opens up and anything can happen in the last three games.”

Could Barcelona be affected by their elimination from the Champions League?
“This is football. When you get a knock, there is a great opportunity to react and recover. It's normal to be affected, but football gives you the opportunity to react immediately. I watched the match and it was fantastic, evenly matched and competitive between teams with different characteristics. You have to congratulate Inter, but Barcelona came very close to reaching the final. If they had won, nobody could say anything. PSG and Inter must be congratulated because they'll play in a beautiful final, evenly matched and with no favourites at this stage.”

Rodrygo
“He has trained well all week and is recovering from the fever he had last week. We don't have many options for the starting line-up because there are a lot of players out. He's an important option for us, as is Arda.”


 
Who will be the replacement if the centre-backs get injured?
“Jacobo and Vallejo will be on the bench and will be available. They can replace the central defenders.”
 
Rumours on his future
“It's not so difficult to prepare for these matches because there's no need to prepare the players. We have to give them the clearest possible ideas of how they have to play the game. What's going on around us hasn't affected us this week at all. We're doing well and feeling very confident. We have no issues.”
 
Is the honeymoon at Madrid over?
“The honeymoon never ends with this club. I'll go on forever. Both Real Madrid and Milan are teams that remain in my heart more than others because of the time I've spent here and because I feel very good here. It's like relationships. At the beginning, there is a lot of passion and when it subsides, affection and other things grow. The honeymoon will last until the last day of my life.”
 
Which three games out of the 349 you have managed here will you not forget?
“I won't forget Lisbon, Paris and London. Most of them have gone well, but in some cases it's better to forget what we did on the pitch.”

Is he the coach who best represents Real Madrid's DNA?
“I don't know. Real Madrid is a special club that deserves a special attitude from everyone who works here. That's what I've always tried to do on a daily basis.”

Xabi Alonso
“I read that he's leaving Bayer Leverkusen. He's done a fantastic job there and has all the doors open to him because he's proven to be one of the best coaches in the world.”