That doesn’t really make Carlo Ancelotti happy. On Wednesday, his Real Madrid challenges Atlético in the semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup, the first of three confrontations between the two teams scheduled in less than a month.
“The calendar is what it is, we have to play again against Atlético,” Ancelotti said Tuesday at a press conference in Riyadh. “I don’t like playing against Atlético because they are one of the best teams, it’s always hard to play against them. But Atlético must think the same thing,” continued Real’s Italian coach. This season, the first Madrid derby was won 3-1 by Diego Simeone’s “Colchoneros” during the 6th day of La Liga, on September 24.
After the semi-final of the Super Cup on Wednesday in Riyadh (8:00 p.m.), the two teams will meet again on January 18 in the 1/8 finals of the King’s Cup then during the first weekend of February in the championship, in Santiago Bernabeu.
“We are two very strong teams and it will be difficult, but I think the fans of both teams will like it,” continued Ancelotti, who admitted that the defeat in September had been difficult to digest, even if the “White House” has since lined up a series of nineteen matches without defeat. “The truth is that our last match (against Atlético) hurt us,” he admitted. “I believe that tomorrow (Wednesday) we can show a better version of ourselves.” On the Atlético side, midfielder Rodrigo de Paul expressed his satisfaction at playing this hat-trick against the great rival.
“It’s clear that these matches exhaust you mentally and physically, but (…) I appreciate being able to play against one of the best teams,” he said. Cunning Simeone was careful to point out that the September result would have no impact on the Super Cup match. “Madrid had players unavailable, who will be there tomorrow (Wednesday), he said, it was another match, at another time.” In September, Real striker Vinicius Junior was absent through injury, but he should be able to play in Saudi Arabia. In the other semi-final of the Super Cup, defending champion Barcelona will meet Osasuna on Thursday (8:00 p.m.).
