Real Madrid vs Cordoba preview - Ancelotti determined to win titles

Posted Sunday, August 24, 2014 by PA

Forty-two years since they last met at the Santiago Bernebeu, Real Madrid and Cordoba will face each other on Monday in each side's Primera Division opener.

Real - European champions for a 10th time in May - are starting on Monday after their Super Cup commitments and a tie at home to one of the promoted sides is as good as they could have hoped for.

After winning the European Super Cup a fortnight ago, their reported assault on six trophies ended against Atletico Madrid on Friday, but coach Carlo Ancelotti is ready for them to get their league campaign under way.

"The new season is going to be interesting for us," he told his club's official website.

"We have a side full of quality and we are going to try and do what we did last year.

"We'll try to improve this year. Last season we came very close to winning the Liga and we ran out of steam at the end. It's a very difficult championship and with great teams that will fight to win it, but we're determined to do well."

The former Chelsea manager, though, says that hopes of winning every trophy available never came from anyone inside his dressing room.

He added: "None of us have spoken about winning six titles. We will try and win all the titles we can.

"Now we start a new season and are looking forward to it. There are very competitive sides to come, like Atletico and Barcelona".

Real finished behind their two great rivals last season but their European and Copa del Rey successes made it a campaign to cherish.

Ancelotti has strengthened his side immeasurably since too, with the likes of Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez joining up.

Angel di Maria is reportedly heading out of the Spanish capital to Manchester United but, even if he does, Ancelotti does not see any more new faces coming in.

"The market is closed for us," he said.

"He (Di Maria) came and didn't train. It's not official yet, but he came to say goodbye. We thanked him for what he has done for this club and wished him well in the future. It's not official, but it has been resolved.

"Personally I've had a good relationship with him and he did a fantastic job here. It was his decision to leave because the club did everything possible to make him stay, offering him everything possible so that he'd stay."

For Cordoba boss Albert Ferrer, starts do not come much harder

"We will have to try and defend well, and when we have the ball we will try and keep it for as long as possible," he said.

"That is something we want to try and do throughout the year, not only in this game.

"We will have to be very patient, especially if we cannot get a goal."