Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned his players they must continue to make sacrifices as his side look to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga with victory at Sevilla on Saturday.
Ancelotti has deployed some players in unfamiliar positions with Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni moved back into defence and Rodrygo admitting he was not happy playing at centre forward.
But with a tough schedule ahead including next week’s El Clasico, Ancelotti made no apologies for his positional switches and said he would continue to ask his players to put the interests of his team first.
Ancelotti told a press conference: “It’s important to know where each player wants to play, and sometimes the demands of the team mean that some players have to make sacrifices.
“Camavinga, Tchouameni or Rodrygo have done that. Rodrygo is a complete forward and can play in the centre, as he did at Napoli. My idea is that the team’s demands come first and then the individual’s.”
Ancelotti’s men headed into the international break on the back of four straight wins and the Italian admitted he was concerned that they would be able to regain that momentum as speculation continues to swirl over his future.
“The team’s on a good run and it’s going to be an important week,” said Ancelotti, whose side also face a Champions League trip to Portugal to face Sporting Braga.
“I’m worried about quite a few things this week. The Sevilla game will be very demanding. They’ve changed coach and they have a lot of quality in their squad. It’s going to be a tough match.
“I’m more concerned that we might have forgotten what we did before the international break. We were playing well and I hope we can get back to the same level.”
Saturday’s game, which represents Real’s 3,000th in LaLiga, will also bring Ancelotti face to face with Sergio Ramos, who was integral to Ancelotti’s success during his first spell at the club between 2013 and 2015.
And Ancelotti admitted that he probably would not have got a second crack at the Madrid job had Ramos not scored the famous stoppage-time equaliser in their 2014 Champions League final with city rivals Atletico, which they went on to win.
“I love seeing him and saying hello,” added Ancelotti.
“Obviously, all the players I’ve had I’m very fond of, and I am especially of him. If he hadn’t scored in the final in Lisbon, I probably wouldn’t be here.
“For everything he’s done, I think everyone’s very fond of him, especially me. He’ll have a great game because he’s got real quality.”
Vinicius very close to first Ballon d'Or win, says Ancelotti
Vinicius Jr's dazzling performances at Real Madrid have put the Brazil forward in the conversation to win his first Ballon d'Or and head coach Carlo Ancelotti feels the 23-year-old deserved to win the prestigious award.
Vinicius has netted five times and provided as many assists in the Champions League alone this season to help Madrid book a place in the final, while also scoring 13 goals in LaLiga, which they clinched for a record-extending 36th time last weekend.
The record 14-time European champions will take on German side Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1.
"He's doing a great job," Ancelotti told reporters ahead of Saturday's league trip to relegation-threatened Granada.
"He's still got the Champions League final to come and then he'll be at the Copa America.
"He's very close, and if he has positive results in both competitions, he could well win it [the Ballon d'Or].
"Before I came to coach Madrid, I saw Vinicius on TV and I thought what an incredibly talented player he looked.
"When I arrived here, that much was clear, and he's improved on many things to enhance that talent.
"He's better at evading his markers now and has improved in front of goal as well. He's done so with a spectacular work ethic on a daily basis, he's focused in training and recovers well after matches.
"He's a highly disciplined professional and he deserves everything he's achieved."
But Ancelotti said the rest of his squad have been just as important in a campaign where several key players at Madrid have suffered injuries.
Vinicius moved to the Santiago Bernabeu from Brazil's Flamengo in 2018.
"He's among the best in the world and this is Vinicius' moment because he brings us so much. He's been important in us making the Champions League final and winning LaLiga. But we mustn't forget how the others have contributed," the Italian said.
French defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is a doubt for the final after picking up an injury in their semi-final win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.
"[Goalkeeper] Thibaut Courtois will play, as will Eder Militao. They both need the game time. Andriy Lunin has to be ready to play as well. That's why I'll have to assess the goalkeeping issue in the coming games," Ancelotti said on team rotation.
"We're not sure if Tchouameni will make it for the final but we'll do all we can to see if he can recover. The rest will rotate, including Antonio Rudiger and Nacho."
Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders: Neville calls on hosts to put foot down in derby
Phil Neville believes the Portland Timbers have not picked up the points their performances have warranted this season, but he knows the time has come for them to put their foot down ahead of Sunday's Cascadia Derby against the Seattle Sounders.
Portland sit 12th in the Western Conference standings, below the Sounders on goal difference, after going eight MLS matches without a victory.
Their 10 points through 11 games in 2024 represents their joint-worst return at this point of any MLS campaign (alongside 2014).
Neville, however, believes they have deserved more as they prepare for a run of three home games in their next four.
"I think the first thing to say is we are not making any excuses – the results have not been as good as we wanted," he said.
"We've not got our just rewards but now we look forward to a stretch where we've got to perform better and get better results, we've got to put our foot down on the gas."
The Sounders have also struggled this term, though they have taken four points from their last two MLS games against the Philadelphia Union (3-2) and LA Galaxy (0-0).
They then overcame Louisville City on penalties in the U.S. Open Cup in midweek, and coach Brian Schmetzer hopes they can carry on their momentum from that game on Sunday.
"This club has had a long history in the U.S. Open Cup, I like the tournament. It was certainly a challenge against a good, well-coached Louisville team," Schmetzer said.
"We came out on top and hopefully this propels us a little bit in our league play."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Portland Timbers – Maxime Crepeau
Portland have conceded at least once in a club-record 17 successive regular-season matches, allowing 37 goals in that time.
Goalkeeper Crepeau has faced 41 shots so far in MLS this term, preventing 1.13 goals according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, conceding 14 times from 15.8 xGoT faced.
Seattle Sounders – Raul Ruidiaz
Ruidiaz has 12 goals in 16 previous MLS matches against Portland (including playoffs), the most goals scored by any player against the Timbers in MLS play.
It's also the most goals scored by any MLS player against a single opponent since Ruidiaz made his debut in the competition in July 2018.
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTLAND TIMBERS WIN
The Timbers are unbeaten in six straight matches against the Sounders (four wins, two draws), the longest streak in all competitions by either team in the MLS era of their rivalry.
Portland have also won their last two home matches against Seattle after the Sounders won four of the previous five meetings at Providence Park.
Seattle's 10 points through 11 matches this season are tied for the second-worst start in club history, having only collected eight points at this stage in 2018. Though the Timbers have been in dismal form themselves lately, this fixture could come at a good time for them.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Portland Timbers – 41.5%
Seattle Sounders – 30%
Draw – 28.5%
Busby Jr. reappointed as Reggae Girlz head coach; eighteen members of historic World Cup squad return for Brazil friendlies
Hubert Busby Junior has been reappointed as Head Coach of the Jamaica Senior National Women’s Team, the Jamaica Football Federation announced in a statement on Friday.
This is Busby's second stint with the team, having held the position from 2020 to 2021.
He was removed from the position when the JFF requested FIFA to investigate unsavory media reports originating in Europe. FIFA subsequently cleared Busby.
“The Jamaica Football Federation is pleased to announce that after careful consideration and due process, our technical committee has recommended the immediate reappointment of Hubert Busby as head coach of the Senior Women's National Team,” the JFF said in Friday’s release.
“Based on his vast experience and knowledge of the squad, we think he is the perfect individual to take the team through the next stage of its development,” it continued.
Xavier Gilbert, who was acting in the role of Head Coach since October 2023, will revert to his previous role as assistant coach.
Busby's first task will be to take charge of the 23-member squad which will play two international friendlies against Brazil on June 1 and June 4 in Brazil.
Eighteen members of the group for the two games were members of Jamaica’s history-making 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup squad, while former Liverpool midfielder Jade Bailey makes a return to the team which is missing prolific striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw and Kalyssa 'Kiki' Van Zanten due to injuries.
The squad is set to depart for South America on May 26.
Squad: Chantelle Swaby, Konya Plummer, Jade Bailey, Denesha Blackwood, Kayla McKenna, Allyson Swaby, Drew Spence, Atlanta Primus, Vyan Sampson, Peyton McNamara, Page Bailey-Gayle, Trudy Carter, Kameron Simmonds, Tiffany Cameron, Sydney Schneider, Rebecca Spencer, Niya Cardoza, Liya Brooks, Amelia Van Zaten, Jody Brown, Israela Groves, Davia Richards, Lauren Reid
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