Real Madrid have suffered a disastrous start to the year and dropping consecutive points against Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao and Schalke has definitely not helped Carlo Ancelottia s position as the manager of the club. However the Italian believes that he enjoys complete support from the players and the President while revealing that he could drop Iker Casillas following his poor showing in the Champions League fixture.
Casillas has been the subject of immense scrutiny ever since he let in the goal in the Champions League final last year and the Spanish captain was recently blamed for Real Madrida s 4-3 loss to Schalke at Santiago Bernabeu. Speaking before the game, Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that he could drop the goal-keeper while saying that it was not his intention to punish the players by dropping them from the starting eleven.
a I will decide the lineup, but it’s clear that I will try to win tomorrow’s game and if I make changes they should not be taken as punishments. I haven’t decided tomorrow’s goalkeeper just yet. Keylor might play, but Casillas might play as well. If Keylor plays tomorrow, Casillas will play next Sunday. If Casillas plays tomorrow, Casillas will play next Sunday.a
Carlo Ancelotti has also been criticized for his managerial style with many suggesting that he would be sacked following a string of disappointing performances. Such has been the situation that Carlo Ancelotti himself had to address the press to back his La Decima winning manager. Ancelotti himself believes that he continues to enjoy the support of the squad and claims that the club is highly motivated to win trophies this season.
a The past has affected us, but the players are determined to improve. Everything is still to play for so that motivates us because the same exact thing happened last season. I haven’t spoken about my future with the players. I don’t need the players to tell me they’re with me, I see that every day, I need them to play together and work for Real Madrid. We are not giving up, we will work harder to solve this situation and I’m sure that we will be able to turn things around soon.a
Speaking about President Florentino Perez, Carlo Ancelotti claimed that he was happy at Real Madrid and was looking forward to staying at the club for a long time.
a I think the President was right by talking to the press. He’s always showed me support and trust. I want to stay here, I feel well and I have no doubts about this. My contract expires on 2016 and we have a lot of time to think about it.a
Carlo Ancelotti and his men have faced severe criticism from the fans and the press however the Italian believes that the club is trying their best to improve their game.
a I’m not focused on the press, they don’t put pressure on me making changes. I make my own decisions. I know how this business works, and it’s clear that when the fans whistle you, they are not happy, but I try to improve my work after that.a
Meanwhile, speaking about the future of Sami Khedira and the alleged news surrounding his imminent departure to Schalke as a free agent in the summer, Ancelotti revealed that the German was a complete professional who is completely committed to the club.
a We don’t know anything about this, you have to ask the player. It’s true that he’s free to sign for anybody but this doesn’t mean he is not professional. He will work hard until the end of his contract.a