Carlo Ancelotti admitted that he hopes to utilise the same tactics against Chelsea at the Bernabeu after the success Federico Valverde found at Stamford Bridge. The Uruguayan midfielder proved key for Real Madrid in the first leg of the quarter-final being moved from his usual position in the centre of the pitch, onto the right to help pen in and pressure Cesar Azpilicueta.
The method helped disrupt Chelsea's usual success from the wing-back positions, with the distance between Reece James and Andreas Christensen also exploited, as Karim Benzema inspired Los Blancos to a 3-1 win in London, leaving a very frustrated Thomas Tuchel. The Blues boss will have a big decision to make on both flanks once again.
Azpilicueta missed the Blues' trip to St Mary's to face Southampton having tested positive for Covid-19 but has since returned negative results and is with the squad travelling to the Spanish capital. Ancelotti is making it clear to his side that they must expect the best Chelsea to arrive at the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening.
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The former Milan boss said: "We'll see. We would like to do the same approach but they may change because it didn't work out for them. We have to be prepared for everything.
"The luck I have is that this squad knows this type of match and what can happen. We won't go out relaxed. My squad is happy to play because it's a great opportunity to reach a 'semi'. Chelsea deserves all our respect."
"Everyone knows that it will be a complicated match, like all the quarterfinals of a Champions League. Whatever happens in the first leg, you have to fight and compete. You have to be in the match 90 minutes. We expect a rival who is going to bring out the best of themself."
Tuchel knows that his side cannot put in a performance reminiscent of the first leg, with the Blues unable to leave much of an impression on their opponents. In Madrid, the German coach hopes to see more physicality and intensity in all of his side's play, conceding that Chelsea need to bring all elements to be a 'special team'.
He said: "First of all, we wanted it more physical, we did not work hard enough. We did not work intensely enough in the first match. Second of all, we faced a huge disadvantage in terms of physicality because Real Madrid played the whole year with five changes and we play the most demanding league and played the most matches throughout the season.
"It's not always easy to play a physical game. We are a team that needs the physicality, the sharpness, the investment to be a special team. We could not implement that enough in the last match. This was also due to their quality and capacity to slow the game down and control the match by ball possession, this is what it is."
