Real Madrid must focus on putting in a complete performance instead of going all out in their search for a goal as they look to overturn a one-goal deficit against Barcelona in their Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, manager Carlo Ancelotti said.
Real centre back Eder Militao scored an own goal in the first half of last month’s first leg, before Barcelona defended superbly to frustrate Ancelotti’s side and secure a 1-0 win.
“It’s always the most important game for me, for Real Madrid and for the fans. There is a very big rivalry,” Ancelotti told reporters yesterday, ahead of the game at Camp Nou.
“This match allows us to play another final and it is the most important objective. It is an important competition and we are close. We will do everything we can to play in a final. The idea is not to go crazy to score a goal. The idea is to play a complete game with and without the ball. We haven’t got there many times and that’s an important aspect. We’re not going to go crazy, because you can score a goal in the fifth minute and then concede two.”
Barcelona have beaten Real three times in 2023, including wins in the first leg of the tie, a league clash last month and the Spanish Super Cup final in January. When asked if he could field a different lineup or formation to outfox the Catalan club, Ancelotti said, “it’s difficult to change the system after working on the same system all year”.
“Small details are where you can surprise your opponent. In general, a change in the system will only surprise you,” the Italian added. Ancelotti added that defender Antonio Rudiger, who missed Real’s 6-0 win over Real Valladolid on Sunday, was back in training and available for the midweek clash.

Xavi expecting ‘wounded’ Madrid to wage war
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez warned his team that their Copa del Rey semi-final opponents Real Madrid would be coming to wage a “footballing war” at Camp Nou. “It doesn’t mean anything that we have won the last three Clasicos, tomorrow is another footballing war,” Xavi said. “They will be out for revenge, they will come here hurt, they have lost the last three. They will come here wounded, I am sure.”
Barcelona will be without four injured key players in Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen. “Madrid come tomorrow and they can beat you perfectly well — they can against any team,” said Xavi.
“They have a lot of experience, they are used to mounting comebacks. They are still favourites for me. We were better in the league game and in the Super Cup, but we weren’t in the first leg.”
Despite Eder Militao’s own goal handing Barcelona a narrow victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, Ancelotti’s side dominated the Catalans. Xavi said he expected Los Blancos to try and stop his team controlling the match and playing their usual possession football. “(I predict) an aggressive Madrid, who want to take the ball off us, pressing us,” added Xavi. “We need to have a lot of personality tomorrow to keep the ball.”

Barcelona refereeing scandal one of most serious in football, says Ceferin
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said that Barcelona’s refereeing scandal is one of the most serious incidents he has seen in football ever since he became involved with it.
UEFA opened a formal investigation into Barcelona last month for potential violation of the European soccer governing body’s legal framework regarding payments made by the club to a company owned by a senior refereeing official. “I cannot comment directly on this for two reasons,” Ceferin said.
“Firstly, because we have an independent disciplinary committee. And secondly, because I have not dealt with this matter in detail. However, I can say something. As far as I am informed, the situation is extremely serious. So serious that it is, in my opinion, one of the most serious (ones) in football since I have been involved in it.”
The alleged payments of 7.3mn euros ($7.96mn) were made by Barcelona from 2001 to 2018 to firms owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, then-vice president of the refereeing committee of the Spanish Football Association.