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Carlo Ancelotti believes Real Madrid can win the Champions League but is braced for a tough quarter-final second leg against Chelsea.
Madrid hold a 3-1 advantage after defeating Chelsea for the first time in Europe and will be expected to finish off the job at in the Spanish capital on Tuesday.
Thomas Tuchel has conceded the holders face an almost “impossible” task in the Spanish capital, as they have to win by their biggest margin away from home in the competition just to take the tie into extra time.
No English side has ever won by more than a single goal at Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League, making Ancelotti’s team the strong favourites to make the semi-finals.
That would set up a meeting with either Manchester City and Atletico Madrid, but Ancelotti is not getting ahead of himself even if he thinks his team have the credentials to lift the famous trophy.
Asked at a pre-match news conference what Madrid were missing to be labelled as favourites, he said: “There is nothing missing, but nobody can say that they are going to win because the Champions League is very difficult.
“Not everyone can compete, you need a lot of quality, experience, personality. That’s why I said that this team can compete.”
Madrid are looking to become the first team to win both legs against Chelsea in a Champions League tie since Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 season.
But Ancelotti expects the Blues to come out fighting after Tuchel was critical of their display at Stamford Bridge last week.
“Everyone knows that it will be a difficult match, like all the quarter-finals in the Champions League,” he continued. “Whatever happens in the first leg, you have to fight and compete.
“You have to be switched on for 90 minutes. We expect Chelsea are going to come out strong. I am lucky that my squad knows this type of match and what can happen. We won’t go out relaxed.
“My squad is happy to play because it’s a great opportunity to reach a semi-final.”
Pressed on Tuchel stating it is an almost impossible task for his side to progress, Ancelotti said: “I don’t know. They will come and fight despite it being difficult. They are a big team with a spirit that never gives up.”
If Madrid do progress to the last four, Ancelotti will have made the Champions League semi-finals for an eighth time – the joint-most by a coach in the competition, along with Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho.
Guardiola will take his tally to nine if City get knock Atleti out.
