Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has said that victory in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey final against Barcelona would give his team a crucial boost as it continues to fight forthe La Liga title as well as a record tenth European Cup trophy. Real is currently second in La Liga, three points behind leader Atletico Madrid with five games left to play. The Spanish giant is alsothrough to the UEFA Champions League semifinal where it will meet defending champ Bayern Munich in a two-game series.
In an interview with RealMadrid.com, coach Ancelotti said that thepsychological impact of winning or losing Wednesday’s final at the Mestalla would be huge. “On a mental level, I think [the final] will be very important,” the Italian said. “Ithink after this game, the side that wins will have more motivation, illusion and desire to play their best until the end of the season. I think from a mental point of view, it will be veryimportant.”
Barcelona has won both La Liga clashes against Real this season, but Ancelotti doesn’t feel that past games will have any impact on the final. “I don’tthink that there will be a psychological advantage for what happened in the past,” he said. “The present is a complicated game for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. We have to play well,with excitement, motivation and with a lot of concentration to try and win it.”