Real show semi threat
NEIL MCLEMAN
CARLO ANCELOTTI urged his Real Madrid to celebrate their 35th La Liga title last night – and then called on the fans to create the same raucous atmosphere to help beat Manchester City in the Champions League.
The Italian sent out a reserve side to seal a comfortable win over Espanyol yesterday, as Karim Benzema came off the bench to net his 47th goal of the season.
The former Chelsea and Everton boss (below) is the first coach to ever win the league title in all of the big five European leagues.
During the jubilant postmatch celebrations, an emotional Ancelotti wore a white baseball cap and T-shirt with the number 35 over his trademark dark suit and waistcoat.
And the Real coach, 62, said he wanted his side to take the momentum of this triumph into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with City on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s side won the first stunning game 4-3 at the Etihad.
Ancelotti, 62, said: “I feel a lot of emotion. If I cry, I’m very happy. It’s the first time I’ve won a title at the Bernabeu and the atmosphere is something special.
“The celebration is something good in the mental aspect – we have to celebrate, we are professionals.
“This season has been spectacular. Today we have to celebrate, not talk.
“It fills me with pride to win in the five major leagues. It means I’ve done pretty well. I’m proud. I want to continue winning titles with Real Madrid. See you on Wednesday. I say to the fans, ‘On Wednesday we need this atmosphere’.”
Ancelotti, who was at Everton this time last year, has now won the league with Milan (2004), Chelsea (2010), PSG (2013), Bayern Munich (2017) and Real Madrid. The Italian won the Champions League but not La Liga in his previous spell here between 2013-15. It is also the 22nd trophy of his managerial career.
Thibaut Courtois, Casemiro and Luka Modric were the only usual starters in a reserve Real side. Dani Ceballos made a rare start but Gareth Bale pulled out of the squad before kick-off with a back injury and did not join the lengthy on-field celebrations. Rodrygo netted twice before the break before Eduardo Camavinga set up Marco Asensio for the third after 55 minutes.
And Benzema netted the fourth – his 26th La Liga goal of the season – after 81 minutes after a pass from fellow sub Vinicius Jr.
Marcelo, winning a record 24th trophy with the club, lifted it with Benzema.
The Brazilian said: “We have an important game on Wednesday but today is the day to celebrate.”
Courtois added: “We really wanted to celebrate it, because two years ago we couldn’t celebrate it with the fans due to the pandemic.”