Ancelotti confirms he wants to keep Khedira at the Bernabeu

Andy West 06:12 25/08/2014
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  • Back in contention: Sami Khedira.

    Real Madrid welcome Sami Khedira back into their squad for tonight’s La Liga opener at the Bernabeu against newly-promoted Cordoba, managed by former Barcelona full-back Albert Ferrer.

    Khedira was controversially left out of Friday’s Super Cup defeat against Atletico amid speculation that he was set for a transfer, but manager Carlo Ancelotti has now confirmed that Khedira is staying.

    Following a long period of specu­lation over the midfielder’s future, the Italian declared himself very happy with the options at his dis­posal in the centre of the pitch.

    “With Kroos, Khedira, Alonso, Illarramendi, Modric and Isco, our midfield is well covered,” he said. “This team won’t have problems scoring goals, but we want to be both fast and solid.”

    Ancelotti will be without left back Fabio Coentrao with a knee injury, and he has to decide whether to risk Cristiano Ronaldo after a pre-sea­son campaign which the Bernabeu boss admitted has been “irregular because he needed individual work to solve his niggles.”

    The game will also see the end – for now – of the latest goalkeeping debate at Madrid with Ancelotti finally forced to pick between vet­eran Iker Casillas and new signing Keylor Navas.

    Casillas was selected for the UEFA Super Cup and both legs of the Spanish Super Cup, but Ance­lotti has refused to confirm whet-her he will remain between the posts for the league campaign and allowed the controversy to conti-nue by saying: “I’m not going to say who will play, and that’s that.”

    Atletico get their title defence underway tonight with a short trip to the outskirts of Madrid to face Rayo Vallecano.

    Manager Diego Simeone is barred from the dugout after receiving his fifth yellow card on the final day of last season, but he claimed to be relaxed about the prospect of assistant German Burgos directing proceedings from the sidelines.

    “German has the capacity and confidence,” said Simeone. “It gives me peace of mind that we under­stand football in the same way.

    “He will sit on the bench and I will see it from another place.”

    Simeone also confirmed that goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya, a summer arrival from Getafe, will keep his position between the posts ahead of young Slovenia interna­tional Jan Oblak.

    The Atletico manager also laughed off suggestions from Bar­celona boss Luis Enrique that his team should be regarded as favour­ites to retain the title, saying that his response to Enrique is: “Silence, silence and only silence.” 

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