Ancelotti demands pace and intensity from Real Madrid against Bayern

MADRID: Manager Carlo Ancelotti urged Real Madrid to play with more pace and intensity if they want to keep alive their hopes of securing the LaLiga-European Cup double by beating Bayern Munich in the return leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

Real wrapped up the LaLiga title over the weekend with four matches to spare but that has not stopped Ancelotti from being extremely critical of his team’s performance in their 2-2 draw in the first-leg of the Champions League semi in Germany.

He has warned his players that they cannot afford another sub par performance if they want to contest the June 1 final at Wembley Stadium. “We need a match with intensity, with pace... Looking at the first leg, defensively we could have done a lot more,” Ancelotti told a press conference on Tuesday, insisting that his side cannot afford to underestimate the challenge posed by Bayern despite the German side’s disappointing domestic campaign.

Bayer Leverkusen ended Bayern’s 11-year Bundesliga reign by securing the league crown last month but Ancelotti said the six-times European Cup winners will have extra motivation to win the only trophy they can still fight for this season.

“(Bayern and Real) are similar clubs because they have a great history and a lot of success. We have to respect our opponents because they did very well and better than us in the first leg,” Ancelotti said.

“We are very excited because it could be another magical night for us, but there is no optimism. We are aware of the difficulties that we are going to face.”

Defender Dani Carvajal, one of most experienced players in Real’s changing room and winner of five Champions League titles with the Spanish giants, admitted that they feel the fans remain confident about their chances of reaching the final due to their unbeaten run in the competition this season.

He joked that Ancelotti was “getting more and more fearful” over the years, but praised his coach’s role in keeping the changing room focused on winning a record-extending 15th title in Europe’s premier club competition.

“There is euphoria because we are having a great year,” Carvajal told a press conference just days after Real claimed a record-extending 36th LaLiga title.

“We are all very excited about the European Cup. We know it in the dressing room. In the street the fans congratulate us and give us a lot of encouragement to dream of winning it again.

“We are two games away from winning the Champions League. Ancelotti has kept our eyes open and we have all added up. That’s what counts to achieve the objectives.” ----Reuters