Hansi Flick’s team started the season in excellent form, achieving 8 wins in the first 9 matches and performing well in all of them except for the only loss against Osasuna.
Real Madrid is preparing to face Barcelona in the La Liga Clasico on the 26th of this month at the Santiago Bernabeu, in a match that will determine the lead.
According to information from the Spanish newspaper Defensa Central, despite the spotlight being on the strikers, one of the most prominent players for Ancelotti is the Brazilian Rafinha, who is having a historic season with Barcelona.
The Brazilian winger was one of the players offered for sale last summer at Barcelona, but he refused to leave and insisted on continuing with the Catalan team to prove his quality. He started this season strongly and is playing a key role under Flick, contributing to Barcelona’s lead in the La Liga standings.
This may be why Florentino Perez and Ancelotti are so impressed with the Brazilian player. The Real Madrid president has commented on several occasions to people close to him that the Barcelona winger possesses a lot of talent and potential.
When the time comes for the Clasico, Ancelotti will prepare well for the match, seeking to ensure that the right-back is adequately supported on that wing.
Meanwhile, Rafinha will play a dual role on the flank, which could have a significant impact in terms of depth. The newspaper concluded that the Real Madrid coach did not hide his concern about the Brazilian player and will prepare specifically for him to mitigate his threat in the upcoming Clasico match.