Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: Key Takeaways from Carlo Ancelotti's Clasico Presser
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has teased a "surprise" ahead of his side's Clasico match with Barcelona on Saturday.
The Italian boss, who spoke confidently during his pre-match presser, suggested he is willing to take risks in the Bernabeu showdown. Nicholas Rigg of AS noted possible tactics to throw the visitors off:
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Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC provided quotes from Ancelotti, who placed Sergio Ramos in defensive midfield during last season's fixture to poor effect:
Such a surprise could, of course, involve strategical intricacies, not Madrid's personnel. Ancelotti will need a defined game plan to halt Lionel Messi, who is just two goals from breaking Telmo Zarra's all-time La Liga goalscoring record.
He will also want to maximise the potential of Cristiano Ronaldo adding to his 15 domestic goals this season. Spanish football expert Guillem Balague offered his thoughts to B/R UK's Ryan Bailey on how the Messi vs. Ronaldo rivalry will play out:
Ancelotti is looking to box Messi out with an organised line-up, per Corrigan:
Saturday's Clasico gains greater prominence due to Luis Suarez's competitive debut for Barca. The Uruguayan striker has come to the end of his four-month ban for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup and is free to represent Luis Enrique's side for the first time since exiting Liverpool.
His appearance is likely to go one of two ways: Either Suarez will immediately link with Messi and Neymar, putting Madrid to the sword, or he'll struggle for match sharpness in the Blaugrana's toughest trip of the season.
Ancelotti isn't fazed by Suarez's return. The experienced manager isn't going to alter his preparation to specifically deal with the striker who netted 31 Premier League goals last season, as noted by Madrid's official Twitter account:
In fact, Ancelotti welcomes the player back, per Rigg:
Many onlookers will watch just to see if Suarez produces another moment of madness after being convicted of biting three separate opponents during his career. He is often tempestuous on the pitch, but Ancelotti refused to discuss the possibility of Suarez overstepping the mark once more, per Corrigan:
Enrique confirmed Suarez will play after such a long layoff, as noted by football writer Lee Roden:
Madrid head into the Clasico four points behind Barcelona after eight matches. A loss will force many into questioning whether the domestic title is out of reach already, particularly if Enrique's side progress without conceding their first goal of the La Liga season.
The new manager has added a sense of steel to the Catalan club. Ronaldo has scored in Madrid's last 10 consecutive matches, so one of these impressive runs is about to end. Perhaps Ancelotti's aforementioned surprise will see him tailor his team to expose a defensive unit which continues to inspire for Barca.
Ancelotti's presser adds to the allure of Saturday's match. His willingness to potentially do something different only increases the intrigue of a match which will be crammed with the world's best players. While it's unlikely we'll see Ramos in midfield again, it will be interesting to see whether the Italian's concoction sends the three points either way.
Madrid desperately need to close the gap, particularly if Suarez quickly hits his stride.
Stats via WhoScored.com unless otherwise noted.
