Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti feels the club still needs veterans like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. The Los Blancos registered a 1-0 (6-2 on aggregate) round-of-16 UEFA Champions League win against Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
The defending champions came into the match with a 5-2 edge on their side and Benzema scored in the 78th minute to book his team’s quarterfinal ticket. Real Madrid has been a force to reckon with in UCL and once again they were dominant against the Reds.
Meanwhile, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have been consistent performers for the Spanish giants. Both the midfielders’ contracts will expire this summer.
“We’re a modern team. Football nowadays demands collective commitment, individual quality, energy and experience,” the Italian coach said in his post-match news conference. “Modric and Kroos played well today. The team could have been afraid to have the ball to avoid their press, but they did well and we controlled the game.”
“The atmosphere is created by the players,” Ancelotti added. “The humility of the veterans is the key, they have no ego. The youngsters are patient, knowing they have players with fantastic careers ahead of them. But Modric and Kroos don’t play because of the careers they’ve had, they play because they deserve it.”
The Italian tipped Vinicius Jr. as the best player in the world. The forward provided the assist to Benzema from which the Frenchman scored.
“He is, for me,” Ancelotti said. “He didn’t score today but he was decisive, he provided the assist and each time that he took a player on, he was dangerous.”
Real Madrid is chasing their 15th UCL title and Benzema added that it doesn’t matter who they face in the quarters.
“All the teams are good at this level, there are no small teams. It’s about the small details, so we’ll see who we get,” Benzema said. “Football is about suffering. Everyone wants more, but sometimes you have to suffer. The most important thing is to win and go through.”
Real Madrid will face arch-rivals Barcelona in La Liga on Sunday night.
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