Carlo Ancelotti has backed compatriot Mario Balotelli to emerge from his poor start to life at Liverpool and warned his Real Madrid team to be wary of the threat posed by the maverick striker tonight.
Balotelli has scored just one goal in nine appearances since joining the Merseyside club from AC Milan, but Ancelotti believes he will soon start to show his true ability.
“I know Balotelli very well,” he said. “He has a lot of quality and it is normal that we will have to be careful with him.
“He is young and has a lot of desire to play well. In the past he’s had problems, but when a player arrives at a new league and in a new environment it’s not easy. He needs time – but he’s top quality.”
Los Blancos have made an excellent start to their Champions League campaign and know they can take a major step towards winning the group by maintaining their 100 per cent record at Anfield.
“It’s a very important game,” said Ancelotti, who believes supporters will be able to enjoy a memorable spectacle. “Everything good you could say about a game will happen – they are two teams who play good football and are very dynamic.”
Ancelotti’s resources are stretched for the encounter, especially in defence with the team travelling to England without the injured Sergio Ramos and Fabio Coentrao, while Gareth Bale is also missing.
But the Madrid boss is happy with his options, saying: “The squad is very competitive and we have many players who can play in various positions.”
