'Real Madrid Are More Relaxed Than Liverpool'

Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti believes his team are in a more relaxed mood than Liverpool who are still battling for the Premier League title ahead of the Champions League final.

Recall that Liverpool are still in an intense Premier League title race with Manchester City as they are one point behind Pep Guardiola’s men going into the final week of the campaign.

With the title wrapped up since April, Real Madrid have been able to take things relatively easy of late. Liverpool, meanwhile, will have the Premier League decided on the final day of the season.

“Liverpool have had more difficulties than us, playing important matches.

“We have had more time to think about it, but in the end I don’t think it will affect the teams.

“It’s true that they’re still fighting for the league title,” Ancelotti responded when asked whose position he’d rather be in.

“We’ve had more time to think about this game. But we haven’t thought about it and we won’t until Monday.

“But we have everything ready.

“Real Madrid fans are excited about the Champions League final and we want to win the 14th. Nothing else.”

On the game against Betis, Ancelotti didn’t give much away about his XI, leaving his words very much open to interpretation.

“I’m thinking about giving minutes to the players who need them,” Ancelotti explained.

“[David] Alaba is going to train with the rest of the group from Monday onwards.”

Personal life

Ancelotti has two children: a daughter, Katia; and a son, Davide, who was his assistant coach at Everton, and now also at Real Madrid. Davide previously also played in the Milan youth team and joined Borgomanero in June 2008. In 2008, Ancelotti confirmed in an interview that he had broken up with his wife of 25 years, Luisa Gibellini.

He subsequently dated Romanian Marina Crețu. In 2011, it was announced he was dating Canadian businesswoman Mariann Barrena McClay. Ancelotti and Barrena McClay married in Vancouver in July 2014.