Hours after losing to Villarreal in LaLiga Santander and leaving Barcelona the possibility of increasing the gap to 15 points to overtake the alirón, the Real Madrid squad forgot about the domestic competition and focused on Chelsea, in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, while supporting Fede Valverde.
The Uruguayan midfielder was the protagonist of an incident after the match against the yellow box, when he attacked Álex Baena next to the visiting bus. After a bad night, he went to the sports city of the white club and freed himself by training to the maximum in the fight to regain ownership in the Champions League, after being booked from the start by Ancelotti in the league duel.
Inside the locker room, the incident is considered closed and the ‘Halcón’ is asked to focus on sports, according to sources from the entity.
Neither the transalpine coach nor his teammates, who supported the midfielder, want nothing to distract him at a momentous moment of the season, with the Champions League quarterfinal tie against Chelsea being decided in just one week. And it is that the first leg is played the day after tomorrow and the return six days later.
Yesterday morning, the starters for the match against Villarreal had a recovery session, with easy running on the pitch and physiotherapy work inside the facilities, and the rest of the squad exercised more intensely.
Players like Dani Carvajal, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Luka Modric, who were substitutes in the League and are all set to start at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium against Chelsea, began with strength work in the gym and on the pitch after various tactical instructions from Ancelotti, completing matches on a small field.
The center-back Èder Militao, who initially rested against Villarreal but ended up playing the entire second half to also rest David Alaba, was part of the group of players who had a recovery day, although he is in perfect condition for Wednesday. Also the Austrian who was not replaced due to any discomfort.
The only notable absence was that of Ferland Mendy due to a muscle tear that will keep him off the pitch for nearly three weeks and which, for the moment, is Ancelotti’s only casualty for the Champions League quarterfinals.
There is a very clear slogan and it is that it is not worth relaxing, despite the fact that Chelsea, a priori, is an inferior rival. Villarreal made it clear that there is no small enemy.
