Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti on his summer break, Kylian Mbappé and the UEFA Super Cup final against Atalanta
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
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The 2024/25 season starts for Carlo Ancelotti with a UEFA Super Cup showdown against a tricky Atalanta side – "a very dangerous team that plays in a special and unique way", as he tells UEFA.com.
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Refreshed after spending time on holiday in Canada and Montana, Carlo Ancelotti returns to the continental fray when Real Madrid take on Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw on 14 August, their first competitive game since the arrival of forward Kylian Mbappé.
The most successful coach in UEFA Champions League history, Ancelotti has won the world's top club competition five times as a manager (and twice more as a player), and his first challenge of 2024/25 is to make Madrid the most successful team in Super Cup history with a sixth victory. However, as he tells UEFA.com, his side do not expect to have it easy.
On his summer break
I switched off completely, but I watched all the games [of EURO 2024 and the Copa América]. Football is a passion of mine; it's fun. I was perfectly able to switch off. I had 40 days of holiday. It was great. I was in beautiful places, and I watched football, which I enjoy. It's what I enjoy most.
On the Super Cup meeting with Atalanta
It's going to be tough as always because it's the beginning of the season. But we are going there with every confidence and conviction, while bearing in mind all the challenges. I believe Atalanta deserve to be there because they played an amazing Europa League campaign, knocking out top teams like Liverpool. They were able to win those kinds of games easily, even the final. So, we respect this team a lot. But we hope to be on our best form.
I don't think anyone expected [Atalanta to beat Leverkusen so comfortably in the Europa League final]. As I said, Atalanta had an amazing season. They're a very dangerous team that plays in a special and unique way. Bayer Leverkusen weren't able to play in the way they were used to playing, because of the huge effort the Atalanta players put in.
On Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini
We have a great relationship. We are friends. Our relationship started at Juventus [when Gasperini led the youth team while Ancelotti was first-team boss].
[Atalanta are] consistently playing in Europe thanks to Gasperini and, since he arrived, they're doing very well in Italy too. Some excellent and important players have emerged from the team. So, he has done an amazing job, and he continues to do so.
On the arrival of Kylian Mbappé
First of all, he is going to bring his quality as well as his composure, attitude and dedication. He is going to have to adapt for this team as everyone has had to. We are very happy he is here because he has great qualities and – I'm sure, given his personality – he will adjust quickly. Everybody at Real Madrid is very happy he is here: the fans, the club, the players, the team-mates, the coach. We are all very happy he is here. We're sure he'll do very well.
On working with emerging talents like Arda Güler and Endrick
I really enjoy [working with them] because they learn very quickly. They pay attention to suggestions and instructions. They want to grow and improve. It's funny that Vinícius [Júnior], Rodrygo, [Jude] Bellingham and [Eduardo] Camavinga are no longer considered young players.
We have a young team with a great future. It will be up to them and their ability to bind together as a team and unite and build a great squad because, ultimately, the winner is always the squad, the team.
All about the Super Cup
