Dani Carvajal confirmed fit as Real Madrid eye Spanish Super Cup glory
- Rob Fleming
- 13 January 2024
Real Madrid are set to face Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Riyadh on Sunday, with the team getting a significant boost as Dani Carvajal has been declared fit for the clash.
The veteran defender was initially a doubt after missing training following the semi-final victory over Atletico Madrid, but head coach Carlo Ancelotti reassured fans in his pre-match press conference.
"He's okay. He's needed a day off, it's harder for veterans to recover," Ancelotti stated, putting an end to concerns about Carvajal's availability.
In addition to Carvajal, Ancelotti also heaped praise on the defensive prowess of Ferland Mendy, the team's left-back. Ancelotti labelled Mendy as one of the best in the world in his position, especially defensively. The Italian acknowledged that Mendy can still improve offensively but highlighted his recent goal-scoring contribution.
"When he's good, for me he's the best left-back in the world defensively. Offensively he can improve, he scored a goal the other day. But defensively, Mendy is the best left-back in the world."
The importance of full-backs in Ancelotti's tactical setup cannot be overstated, and their performance could be crucial in Real Madrid's quest to secure victory over Barcelona and clinch their first trophy of the season.
Ancelotti also addressed the goalkeeper situation, indicating a dilemma in choosing between Kepa Arrizabalaga and Andriy Lunin. Ancelotti signed Kepa to be the starter, but an injury paved the way for Lunin to impress. Now, Ancelotti finds himself in a situation where both goalkeepers deserve consideration.
"I feel like now I can't choose a starter and a substitute. The important thing is that they both understand it. And they have understood it."
Turning his attention to Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez, Ancelotti acknowledged the excellent job Xavi is doing despite his relative lack of coaching experience.
"Xavi is doing an excellent job. He doesn't have the experience that I have because he is very young. His career is very good, it helps him to have been one of the best midfielders in the world in the past. The idea of how he saw football is helping him."
Ancelotti concluded by expressing his expectation of a closely contested match, stating, "I would be surprised if Xavi said he doesn't like winning. It will be close like every Clasico."
With Carvajal back in contention, Real Madrid aim to overcome Barcelona in a thrilling Spanish Super Cup final showdown on Sunday.
