Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was delighted after their 3-0 win at Elche.
Ancelotti was happy with the attitude of his players on the back of Sunday’s El Clasico win against Barcelona.
He said, “It was a big game because the level could have dropped a bit after the Clásico. I didn’t want to make any more excuses with the rotation. The team performed well, they were very focused and we had a lot of mobility up front. The game was open until the 70th minute and it could have got difficult”.
“It’s an important stage of the season because the team is playing well. We’re strong out on the pitch and don’t have any issues. I think Courtois will be back on Saturday and Ceballos will be back soon. We have to make the most of this situation. We have to play a lot of games and have plenty of options available not just in the starting eleven.
“It’s quite obvious that more than 11 players deserve to play. I took a risk with Valverde by telling him that he was going to score 10 goals and hopefully he’ll do that so that I don’t lose face. He’s playing very well and surprises me in every game as he does everything well: the attacking aspect, the defensive aspect, shooting, running… When you think of the modern midfielder, you don’t have to look any further than Valverde at this moment in time.”
On goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, he added: “He ‘s carried out his role. He’s shown that he can step up when Courtois is not here, he’s ready, he’s prepared and he’s a top goalkeeper. He’s getting better every game and gaining more experience, which is the thing he’s lacking. He’s very young and he’s quality. He just lacks experience.”
