"A plan not only for Mbappe but also for Neymar, Messi" - Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti opens up on his team's strategy against PSG
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that he has a plan in place for “all the good Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)” players. The Italian has urged his team not to go 'crazy' and instead play an intelligent game in the return leg of their Champions League Round of 16 on Wednesday night.
PSG came out on top in the first leg, with Kylian Mbappe scoring the only goal of the game in Paris last month. With a slender 1-0 lead to protect, Les Parisiens will now play Los Blancos in front of a roaring Santiago Bernabeu tonight.
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Kylian Mbappe has easily been the French giants' standout performer this season, scoring 24 goals and setting up 17 more in 34 appearances across competitions. But Ancelotti has admittedly been preparing his team to deal with the other Paris Saint-Germain stars, such as Lionel Messi and Neymar, as well.
Claiming he had plans for Neymar and Lionel Messi as well as Mbappe, the 62-year-old stated (via PSG Talk):
“The plan we have is a plan not only for Mbappé, but also for Neymar, Messi, and all the good PSG players. The plan is to play as a block, with the ball, and without the ball, put in intensity, endure the 90 minutes and play a complete game.”
The Italian tactician added:
“It has to be an intelligent game; we don’t have to go crazy, we have to win the game, we don’t have to score goals. We have to win it. You can get ahead soon or at the last minute; the important thing is to keep it alive and play it with intensity.”
Real Madrid are coming into the match on the back of a dominant display in La Liga against Real Sociedad. Playing at home, the Whites secured a commanding 4-1 win, courtesy of goals from Eduardo Camavinga, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, and Marco Asensio on Saturday night.
Eduardo Camavinga could add explosiveness to Real Madrid's midfield against PSG
In the first leg in Paris, Real Madrid’s trident of Luka Modric, Casemiro, and Toni Kroos struggled to get out of the Parisians’ stranglehold.
With Casemiro suspended for the return leg, Ancelotti could be forced to bring Eduardo Camavinga into the fold, which could be a blessing in disguise.
CAMAVINGA, WHAT A STRIKE 😳 https://t.co/VaOmQM3otU
While Casemiro is undoubtedly more solid at the back, Camavinga is a lot more dynamic going forward. He is also great at applying pressure and packs a powerful left foot.
If Real Madrid are planning to catch Paris Saint-Germain off-guard, the young Frenchman could turn out to be just the wildcard they need.