Expect nothing less than Athletic at San Mamés, a classic in the League, and the feelings of Real Madrid are not good. The preseason was irregular, with defensive weakness and a lack of goals, the environment is distracted by the future of Kylian Mbappé and just two days after the premiere Thibaut Courtois suffered a serious knee injury that turned everything upside down.
While the offices of the white club are looking for a replacement for the Belgian goalkeeper, who really does not have one on the market because he is probably the best in the world, coach Carlo Ancelotti drew on experience and in this delicate situation he tried to send full messages I backed the Ukrainian Lunin, despite the fact that during the American tour he had a run-in with the goalkeeper coach.
What went through your head when you heard the bad news about Courtois? «That Lunin was going to play. You have to look ahead. I never worry about those who can’t be in a game, we wanted to give Lunin confidence,” said Ancelotti, always positive. «Emotionally we are sad because it is an injury to an important player, but these things happen in football. We wish him a speedy recovery and we give all the confidence in the world to Lunin, who is a great goalkeeper. In the preseason he did well. We think he is a talent. What he lacks is what everyone lacks, experience, but he will take it game by game, “added Carletto.
“If another goalkeeper comes, the starter is Lunin,” emphasized the Italian, who never loses his good humor. When asked what kind of goalkeeper he likes, his answer provoked laughter from himself and from the journalists. «Let him stop with his hand. It is what I ask of the goalkeepers. With his feet, a striker who hits is better ».
Regarding the goal, Yassine Bono, ahead of other names on everyone’s lips such as De Gea, Kepa Arrizabalaga, David Soria or Keylor Navas, has become the main objective to cover the loss of Courtois, who could miss the entire season . But the signing of him presents a couple of drawbacks. First, to negotiate with the always tough Sevilla, who are asking for a minimum of 20-25 million euros for the Moroccan goalkeeper, who in recent times had rejected very juicy financial offers from Saudi Arabia and also flirted with Bayern. In addition, it turns out that between January and February 2024 the Africa Cup of Nations will be played, Bono is permanent with the Atlas Lions and could miss up to 13 official matches with Madrid.
Without talking about players who are not on the squad, the name of Mbappé flies over Madrid’s appearance on stage. Ancelotti, at least facing the gallery, says that he is not worried about the lack of a ‘9’ because Joselu will start as a substitute. «We have created many occasions and scored goals in preseason. The success has been lacking, the forward is still not fresh in summer, but we are very good up front, we have options. Joselu is very good in the area and Brahim between the lines can provide solutions. He confesses that they were worse in defense, but more for reasons of “sacrifice and” lack of concentration “than for the quality of the defenders.
Without Benzema and Courtois, Real Madrid only has Vinicius left as the third decisive player, assuming that Kroos and Modric are no longer there to demand maximum performance from them in all games. In relation to the Brazilian, two issues. That of his new location on the field, more inside in the 4-4-2 than as a winger, and that of the controversial racist chants.
About the system, Ancelotti advanced that the rhombus that he has used in the summer to get the best performance from Bellingham in the offensive apex will not be fixed, since he will also use the 4-2-3-1, with two pivots ahead of the defense , or the 4-3-3 that he used to use last year. Regarding the insults, on the one hand the Reggiolo coach understands that rest will have also come to everyone and on the other he insists on applying the protocol. «It is clear, if the referee hears insults he has to stop the game. I hope it doesn’t happen, but it can happen. He, Vini, is fine », he settled.
With Arda Güler out of action due to a meniscus injury for which he will undergo surgery, the eyes of this Madrid are focused on the Englishman Jude Bellingham, one of the great sensations of the summer although he was quite subdued in the classic. Ancelotti maintains that the former Dortmund player can play inside and even delay his position, but that where he performs best is as a striker or midfielder.
2023-08-11 13:02:32
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