Carlo Ancelotti on Real Madrid leadership issues and how they will beat high press

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has assured that the seeming lack of leadership in their squad currently is being addressed, bit by bit. With Toni Kroos, Joselu Mato and Nacho Fernandez all leaving in the summer, a mass of veteran experience was lost. The problem has been exacerbated by the injuries to David Alaba and Dani Carvajal.

At the very least, David Alaba looks set to make his return from injury, with the veteran presence at Real Madrid greatly reduced from last season. Antonio Rudiger, Lucas Vazquez, Ferland Mendy, Luka Modric and Thibaut Courtois all have ample experience, but it appears they are not characters that hold as much weight in adversity.

“We talked about it at the beginning of the season. Young players had to take more responsibility and from one day to the next they are doing it. Little by little. It is not something immediate, it is built day by day. Furthermore, Carvajal’s injury has affected us in a big way. There is also Alaba, who usually takes this responsibility of leadership. And this has advanced the process of young players.”

It has also been picked up on that Real Madrid were suffocated by Athletic Club and Liverpool in their two recent defeats, as both pressed high on their backline.

“It is true that Liverpool and Athletic are very brave teams. To solve this you have to play more directly. With the players we have, we have to play a different way. Look for the second ball, when it drops. It’s the simplest way. Long ball and fight for the second ball. This is what can be done in the future, not forcing the start from the back too much. We have played Champions League finals using this system. I learned this very well in England.”

“The long ball is another part of football. For us, the second ball is important too. Because if you don’t have tall forwards, the second ball, when it falls, is also important. The centre-backs can win the first, but the important thing is when the ball falls.”

Ancelotti has at times been accused of lacking the nouse of some of his counterparts, and a more obvious response may not go down too well in the local press. Rightly or wrongly, many top managers are coaching their sides to play through a high press rather than go over it, although Ancelotti’s approach is no doubt conditioned by the players at his disposal.