Ancelotti explains the secret of Real Madrid team’s success that not everyone knows

With five matches remaining, including the Champions League final, Real Madrid is in a state of complete bliss. Champions League four rounds before its end, leaving behind Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and City, their goal is to continue the competition and win the league until the end to reach the Paris final, starting with the derby against Atletico Madrid. There is no place to relax. Ancelotti and his players know this.

During these days, many have approached Ancelotti to ask him about the secret that surrounds this team, other than the day-to-day work and the quality of his players, qualities that they seem to have to show every day because many doubt them. The Italian is clear on the matter and apart from the usual components of a team in the Real Madrid category, he points to the group’s modesty as a distinguishing factor and the secret of the superiority of his players.

Ancelotti said at the press conference for the Atletico Madrid match: “There is no secret, what is there is the humility of each of the players. None of them think he’s better than anyone else,” the Italian managed to say these days, but it’s something he’s been thinking about for a few days after returning to Real Madrid. The goal before the means is a mantra that has been applied by some players who already know what it means to be champions, but have not yet fulfilled their sporting ambition, which is why they are able to fall back for a teammate for the greater good.

Everyone is happy except for Bale

With the logical annoyance that he plays little or almost nothing, as, for example, with Jesús Vallejo, no one has raised his voice (we leave aside Bale and his agent Jonathan Barnett). The recipe was very simple: work, get back to work and insist on working to be ready when the opportunity arises, as the Vallejo defender explained last Wednesday.

The clearest example of that group’s humility, that there is no one above the rest of his teammates, happened on Wednesday night at the Santiago Bernabéu Park in the first minutes of extra time, even though the start of the scene goes way back, with everything at stake.

Karim Benzema was at his maximum physical. He appeared tired and exhausted. His dedication throughout the match was evident. He gave everything and had the strength to cause the penalty kick that decided the qualification. Knowing that Rodrygo was crucial to getting to this extension of the match, the Frenchman had no problem offering to take the decisive penalty kick on Rodrygo.

In recent weeks, Karim Benzema has missed three penalties, which is unusual, but none of his teammates during these matches came close to suspecting that the striker would take the penalty. Respect and trust in a team leader who does not need to fuss and shout to demonstrate that spiritual leadership. The goal of the group before the individual. “I’ve never been in such a humble group before.”

Everyone’s celebration (Hazard first and enjoying as a child) shows that football is a team sport and that this union is achieved through dialogue and a good atmosphere for the players and coaches, as is the case at the Bernabéu.

source: marca