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Real Madrid are set to take on Leganes in La Liga action this Saturday night at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, and manager Carlo Ancelotti has had plenty to say ahead of the clash.
The Italian gaffer held court in his pre-match press conference, touching on everything from squad rotations to his upcoming tax fraud trial next week.
"We've talked about a lot today, haven't we?" Ancelotti said with a grin as he wrapped up the press session. On the legal matter, he kept it brief but confident: "It's an important issue. I have to go and give my statement, yes. This isn't the place to discuss it.
"Next week's hearing is an appeal from the prosecution because I already won the case. I trust the law, I'm not worried about it."
Switching to football, Ancelotti was in his element, covering all bases with his trademark clarity. From La Liga schedules to potential UEFA sanctions for his players in the Champions League, he even found time to respond to Barcelona boss Hansi Flick's recent comments.
"I agree with Flick's complaints," Ancelotti said. "It's a bit odd to play on this date after the international break. I also agree that Real Madrid are not Barcelona."
Flick had earlier taken a swipe at Real Madrid's grumbling over fixture timings, saying: "We're Barca, not Real Madrid, and I'm very proud of that." Ancelotti, unfazed, kept his focus on his own team. "We believe everything has been handled properly, and we hope UEFA make their decision soon. We're confident it'll end well," he added.
Speculation about a potential move to manage Brazil popped up again, but Ancelotti shut it down. "Have Brazil contacted me? No," he said firmly. "My contract is clear, and I've nothing more to add. I've got a lot of affection for the Brazilian fans and their players, but I'm under contract with Madrid."
When asked if Brazil legend Ronaldo had tried to lure him, he chuckled: "I don't remember speaking to Ronaldo about this."
Reflecting on the international break, Ancelotti revealed he'd taken a trip to Italy. "I had a great time visiting my 'great-grandparents', Botticelli and all those lads. It was brilliant, and thankfully, I dodged all this noise," he quipped.
The veteran boss also aired his frustration over La Liga's refusal to tweak schedules. "Sometimes there's no justified reason not to change a game," he said. "Take Villarreal, they agreed to shift our match, the TV companies were fine with it, but La Liga said no. If a game can be moved and they don't, we won't play. If there's a real reason it can't change, we'll turn up."
Looking at his squad, Ancelotti was upbeat. "The players have come back in good shape. We're hitting the final stretch of the season now, and we've got to step up. Every game could be a decider from here."
Despite Barcelona's three point lead in the La Liga table, he refused to write off the title race. "No, La Liga isn't done yet," he insisted. "Barcelona have the edge, but we've got the Clasico coming up, and there are plenty of matches left. We need to give our all, starting tomorrow.
"Hopefully, we've got 17 games leftâ”that'd mean we're in the fight across all competitions until the end."
