Carlo Ancelotti’s substitutions made the difference for Real Madrid on Tuesday night as they came from behind to eliminate Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals.
And the Italian knows how much of a difference the substitutions made as well, saying afterward that it was their energy that allowed Los Blancos to complete another historic comeback at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
“We won this tie thanks to energy. I made the changes I made to add energy.” Ancelotti said after the game in his press conference.
“The team suffered a lot and all the players gave their all. We didn’t deserve to be 2-0 down. We suffered on set pieces because we didn’t have [Eder] Militao. We struggled, after the 2-0 we had a psychological slump, but the magic of the stadium helped us a lot again.
“The more we suffer, the happier I am.”
Eduardo Camavinga was one of the players who made a huge impact off the bench, and Ancelotti conceded that the midfielder is unfortunate to not start more often for Real Madrid.
“He can play from the start, but it’s true that when he comes on he puts a lot of energy into the game,” Ancelotti said.
“When the games go on if you have Rodrygo [Goes], [Fede] Valverde, and Camavinga you have a very strong team physically.”
La Liga already has two teams in the Champions League semi-finals after Villarreal knocked out German giants Bayern Munich. That tally could rise to three should Atletico Madrid beat Manchester City.
“I would like to congratulate Villarreal and Unai Emery on reaching the semi-finals,” Ancelotti said.
“Spanish football already has two in the semi-finals and tomorrow it could be three.”
Courtesy: MARCA
