Carlo Ancelotti held a press conference to review the latest news ahead of the upcoming match between Real Madrid and Osasuna, scheduled for Saturday at 21:00 at El Sadar. The Italian coach, speaking about Real Madrid’s plans for the weekend, also touched on the upcoming first leg of the Champions League round of 16 against Liverpool on Tuesday, and addressed questions related to the ongoing Negreira case and Barcelona’s relationship with the referees. The overall mood remained focused as he emphasized the importance of keeping football fair and transparent.
The opening remarks centered on keeping competition clean and free of suspicion. Ancelotti underscored that the sport should always be free of doubts about integrity and stressed the need for cooperation among all parties to safeguard the sport’s credibility. He avoided commentary on matters linked to Barçagate and encouraged a calm, fact-based approach to the issues at hand.
Negreira case and its implications for neutrality in refereeing
The coach proceeded to discuss the situation surrounding the Negreira case, noting that discussions should focus on the actual matches and the performances of the teams. He highlighted the importance of neutrality in officiating and suggested that maintaining impartiality is essential for a fair competition. The emphasis was on maintaining a clean ethical standard across the league and avoiding any actions that could be interpreted as compromising fairness.
The media environment around the case was acknowledged as a matter for ongoing scrutiny, but Ancelotti kept the lens on the teams and the integrity of the sport. He pointed out that the central goal is to ensure that decisions on the field are driven by merit and strategy, not by external influence, and he urged all stakeholders to contribute to a transparent and accountable ecosystem in football.
With the focus shifting to Saturday, Ancelotti reflected on the preparations for the match against Osasuna. He emphasized the need for careful planning and said the team would approach the game with the seriousness it deserves. While acknowledging the challenge, he reiterated that the squad would be ready to compete at a high level and apply the lessons learned from recent encounters to maximize their performance in front of the home fans and on the road to a potential decisive result.
The discussion then turned to the tactical outlook for the coming days. The coach explained that the club would place emphasis on a strong, disciplined setup, while also preserving the attacking intent that characterizes Real Madrid. He stressed the importance of balancing energy reserves for the key fixtures that lie ahead this week, acknowledging that the squad must manage workload while maintaining competitive sharpness across competitions.
There was also a note on the lineups and younger players being integrated into the squad. Ancelotti confirmed that veteran midfielders would feature in El Sadar, while a young forward from the academy would join the squad to provide a different attacking profile. The choice reflects a broader strategic approach to squad rotation and development, aiming to keep the squad fresh for pressing fixtures while rewarding players in the pipeline who have shown readiness to contribute at the highest level. The decision also accounted for resting players returning from injury, ensuring the main contributors are preserved for the most demanding matches.
As the dialogue moved toward the broader league picture, Ancelotti touched on the standings and the challenge posed by their rivals. He acknowledged a distance to the leaders but stressed that the club would remain focused on its own path, maintaining a steady cadence of strong performances. He described the calendar as demanding, filled with critical tests that demand consistency and resilience. The approach, he asserted, is to keep the squad in a positive frame of mind and to carry forward the momentum built through good results, while recognizing that lapses can reverse fortunes swiftly in football. The overarching ethos is to treat each upcoming game as if it were the last, applying the same intensity and preparation to every challenge that emerges on the timetable.