Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has dismissed suggestions the Champions League final will be determined by the fitness of Liverpool’s midfield – and expects plenty of backing from Everton supporters.
Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara are both expected to be available for Liverpool in Saturday’s showpiece at the Stade de France despite having been hampered by injury problems during the build-up.
And while there remain doubts over whether one or both will start, Ancelotti doesn’t believe Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp will select unfit players.
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“We had a problem in 2014 when we headed into the final with a few players at risk but they managed it in the end,” he said. “If players are injured they can’t play. If the Liverpool players play it means they don’t have an injury. They might not have been at their best in training over the last we days but I don’t think that will affect their performance.
“It’s a final and the last game of the season and they are going to give everything. I don’t think that will affect the outcome of the game.”
Ancelotti spent 18 months at Everton before moving to the Bernabeu last summer, and won his last meeting with Liverpool in February 2021 to record the Blues’ first win at Anfield in more than two decades.
And asked if he’d had any messages from Evertonians, the Real boss laughed and said: “I know the Evertonian supporters and for sure there is a big rivalry on Merseyside. I had good memories of my time spent in Liverpool on the blue side. I am sure that they will support me tomorrow.”
Of his change in fortunes over the past year, Ancelotti added on Friday: “It is a big contrast. I’ve thought about that, how things were very different last year and then there was a phone call with the Real president. That feels like a long time ago.
“I’m treating it naturally and getting to this final is a big success for us. I’ve really enjoyed it this year. I might get a bit worried tomorrow afternoon but you fight against those worries through the players because they are filling me with confidence.”
Ancelotti is managing a club in a Champions League final for a fifth time, and the third against Liverpool. But the Italian admits: “The best one was against Liverpool in 2005 but we lost it in with AC Milan.
“I’m not going to tell the players to play badly but anything can happen in a final. I’m not going to say our best will win it, but it will give us a better chance. It’s my fifth final and there’s always a similar feeling in the build-up, you have to enjoy it without thinking too much about what might happen.”
Ancelotti added: “What kind of game would suit Real? Our approach has to be about showing our quality and what we have shown throughout the season, we have to replicate that tomorrow. We have shown this season this team is fully committed, we have lots of individual quality, the players who have come on have always made a difference and that’s what we have to show.
“Liverpool will want to play with intensity as that’s their quality. They also have lots of individual quality and can get in behind the defence. I think that’s what they will want to do and then there’s what we want to do. That’s where the game will be decided, whichever team shows more quality will come out on top.”
