Sun Sep 15 02:57:09 UTC 2024: ## Real Madrid Coach Ancelotti Praises Team’s Grit in Hard-Fought Win Over Real Sociedad
**San Sebastián, Spain** – Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with his team’s 2-0 win over Real Sociedad on LaLiga matchday five, despite acknowledging the game was a challenging one. While acknowledging Real Sociedad’s strong performance, Ancelotti highlighted the importance of Real Madrid’s resilience and commitment in securing the victory.
“It was a complicated game, and we probably didn’t deserve to win because Real Sociedad played very well,” said Ancelotti. “But we held on, we suffered, and we were committed, which I value very highly. You can’t always find sacrifice in a team with so much quality, and today we did.”
The coach also emphasized the difficulties posed by the absence of key midfielders, stating, “We’re not at 100%, but individually the players are improving a lot. We’re very happy because the important thing was to get off to a good start in this run of matches, of which there are many. When you’re missing four midfielders and we’re not at 100%, it’s very difficult to find the balance. The work of the midfielders who played today, Modrić, Valverde, and Arda Güler, was very good, something I value very much.”
Ancelotti praised the performance of Kylian Mbappé, stating, “He looks fresher and more active. He’s very dangerous on the ball, he’s improving a lot, and I liked his game a lot tonight. He’s also combining very well with Vini Jr.”
Regarding the two penalties awarded to Real Madrid, Ancelotti confirmed that the first was taken by Vinicius Jr. and the second by Mbappé, highlighting their shared responsibility in taking penalties.
Ancelotti also provided updates on the injury statuses of Brahim Diaz and Éder Militão. He confirmed that Militão is not injured and will likely be rotated in the center-back position in upcoming matches. Meanwhile, Brahim is being assessed for an abductor problem.
The win over Real Sociedad keeps Real Madrid firmly in the title race, although the coach acknowledged the need for improvement and critical analysis of the team’s performance.
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