Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that his team will not be going to the Cibeles fountain in the city center on Saturday even if their 3-0 win over Cadiz could have sealed the La Liga title.
After sealing the points through goals from Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham and Joselu, Los Blancos set up the chance to be champions if second-place FC Barcelona failed to beat Catalan neighbours Girona – which they did.
According to Ancelotti, however, there is nothing in the pipeline to commemorate the record 36th Spanish top flight crown.
“Tomorrow there’s training and everyone does what they want tonight, like this afternoon. But there’s nothing organized. We have to think about Wednesday,” he said, in reference to a Champions League semifinal second leg against Bayern Munich.
Ancelotti was reminded of a similar scenario two years ago which still saw Madrid head to Cibeles to celebrate a domestic championship triumph.
“It’s a different situation,” Ancelotti insisted.
“Two years ago it was in our hands, because with beating Espanyol we were champions. But today we are not, and it’s not worth the wait.
“If we have to celebrate, we’ll do it next Sunday – something that the fans understand perfectly. We haven’t won yet, so we can’t come up with scenarios like “if Barcelona wins…”. There’s nothing [to do]. [Go] home, [with] peace of mind and thinking about Bayern.”
Asked if this predicament is proving difficult to handle, Ancelotti said that there is “pent-up joy, obviously, because the biggest game of the season (against Bayern) is also very close”.
“But we have to be happy,” Ancelotti insisted. “These games are difficult to prepare for, because you have Wednesday on your mind. But the less usual ones [i.e. players that don’t usually start] have delivered 100%, like against La Real. Let’s be patient, let’s hope, because on Wednesday we have to be recovered and the day is very close.”
“I don’t care if it’s today, Sunday, or whenever,” Ancelotti said about becoming Spanish champions.
“We deserve it and we have to win it, that’s all. The when doesn’t change much.”
Reminded that his side has now gone three months unbeaten at home, Ancelotti didn’t confirm that there was “euphoria” in a locker room that he sees as “very calm”.
“We will have time to improve physically. The goal is to be at 100% on Wednesday, where we will have the opportunity to play 90 minutes here [at the Bernabeu] and go through to another final. There’s no greater motivation than that, to finish a season that has been spectacular,” Ancelotti concluded.
