Ancelotti: Real Madrid are never ´undervalued´ in the Champions League

Real Madrid always feel respected by every team in the Champions League, so says coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Madrid overcame holders Manchester City on penalties in the quarter-finals to tee up a last-four clash with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

City dominated much of the second leg in Manchester, yet after a 4-4 draw on aggregate, it was Ancelotti’s team who got over the line.

Fourteen-time European champions Madrid, who allowed Karim Benzema to leave for Saudi Arabia at the end of last season, were not fancied to get past City, but Ancelotti does not think his team have been undervalued in this year’s competition.

“Madrid is never undervalued in this competition, because everyone knows what we can do,” he said.

“We feel respect from everyone.”

City’s Bernardo Silva called Madrid a “strange” team, a comment that left Ancelotti nonplussed.

“I don’t know. We are not strange,” he added.

“I think the weight of the shirt weighs in this competition, like history, but I have nothing to answer Bernardo Silva with.

“He is a fantastic player. Last year [City] had a good time and this year we had a good time. That’s football.”

Hallo, Munich! #UCL pic.twitter.com/NJdSCfhOYX

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) April 29, 2024

When it was put to him that Madrid go into this tie as favourites, Ancelotti replied: “It does not worry me. We have confidence to stand up to a team that has not had a great Bundesliga season, but has knocked out Arsenal.

“It comes from eliminating a very strong team in Europe. In the Champions League, history counts a lot and that works in our favour.”

Ancelotti has faced Thomas Tuchel nine times in his career, winning three of those games, losing four and drawing twice, and the Italian anticipates another stern test.

He said: “In terms of quality, they are strong in transition, they can play in different ways and are very dangerous. We are two who do not have a very clear identity. We can both play in different ways.”

Tuesday’s first leg also marks a return to Munich for Ancelotti, who coached Bayern between 2016 and 2017.

“It is very beautiful, a fantastic city, although unfortunately German has never entered my head,” Ancelotti said.

“My son did, he learned very well. Munich is a spectacular city to live in.”