Ancelotti: If a player asks me if he can leave, I won't stop him

Carlo Ancelotti has made clear that if any of his Real Madrid players do not want to be at the club, he will not stand in their way if they want to leave.

Asked specifically about whether he would allow a player who is not performing at their best, such as Eden Hazard, to leave if he asked, the Italian was firm.

"I have never in my coaching career forced a player who wants to leave to stay," Ancelotti said during Friday's pre-match press conference.

"In my personal opinion, there is no question about it. If a player wants to leave, he is going to leave. There is not much doubt about this..."

Vinicius

Vinicius Junior has suffered some rough tackles in the last few games, but Ancelotti is not worried about whether the Brazilian winger might be carrying a knock.

"No, Vinicius is very young and recovers better than others," he noted.

"On the physical side, the day he is not right or does not maintain his level of fitness, he will go to the bench."

Ancelotti on football in Spain

Ancelotti was left visibly frustrated by the referees after Real Madrid's 0-0 draw against Osasuna in midweek, but he turned a question about them into a response about how teams' style of play has changed since he was last coaching in the Spanish capital.

"I'm not saying better or worse. Just different," he replied.

"Spanish football is now a more all-round style of football compared to my first spell. Now there is an improvement in defence and teams are more direct.

"In my first spell there was more control of the game, now there is more direct football. There is no better or worse football, there is football where a coach has to enjoy the qualities of his players.

"I really liked what [Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni] Iraola said the other day about long balls, something that Rayo are using very well."

Xavi to Barcelona

It looks increasingly likely that Xavi Hernandez will be appointed Barcelona head coach in the near future, replacing the sacked Ronald Koeman, and Ancelotti only had a few words for the Catalan.

"I wish Xavi all the best as coach," he stated.

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