Rabat, Morocco, Feb. 7, GNA – Carlo Ancelotti – Head Coach of Real Madrid has said his side is ready to delight their fans in Morocco, as they prepare to face African giants Al Ahly of Egypt in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat on Wednesday.
Speaking at a post-match conference ahead of the game, Coach Ancelotti said “We are delighted to be here, we have a lot of supporters here that we want to delight, by ending on a high note.
“A win here would give us a boost for the rest of the season. We have to work hard towards that,” he noted.
Coach Ancelotti is, however, wary of the rich history of Al Ahly, despite their ambition of winning the competition for the fifth time.
“Al Ahly is a team with a long history, one of the longest in the world. The team is well organised, their players are fast and experienced. I think it would be a very interesting match as both teams have supporters here,” he said.
“They also want to win as much as we do. It’s a club with a good track record,” he stated.
Touching on the absence of Karim Benzema, Thibaut Courtois and Ferland Mendy, the tactician said, “They are on the list and may be in good shape to play Saturday’s match.
“We decided to leave them in Madrid to rest. They would join us on Thursday,” Ancelotti stated.
Madrid would be seeking to annex their fifth FIFA Club World Cup, after winning it in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018, making them the most successful club in the competition.
