Ancelotti 'not losing sleep' over improved Barca ahead of Clasico / Photo: Pierre-Philippe MARCOU - AFP
-
Australia probes app used in cheap smart glasses over privacy fears
-
Kane eyes Ronaldo record after matching England cap mark
-
England needed to 'move on' from World Cup pain, says Tuchel
-
Spain fight back to beat Croatia, Kane adds to record for England
-
O'Neill to stay at Celtic after period of "reflection"
-
Merino double helps Spain beat Croatia, reach Nations League quarters
-
Kane marks 125th England cap with Wembley Nations League double
-
US stocks hit fresh records as oil stabilizes on rising supplies
-
Quebec's incoming separatist leader wants to block Crown from swearing-in
-
As Messi bows out, Argentines say 'thank you'
-
Emmys gala will now stream its premier television awards
-
Ronaldo opens door for Portugal return, apologises for walkout
-
Paramount completes Warner Bros takeover, creating Skydance
-
'Nobody seems to care': Russian city shrugs off plague reports
-
Trump blames France unrest on Islam, migration
-
Hundreds arrested in French school protests as Macron summons ministers
-
Apple's Cook praises EU over efforts to protect children online
-
WADA seeks tough anti-doping stance from Kenya
-
Nobel winner Halzen says years of October 'misery' finally over
-
German ex-spy chief arrested for suspected espionage, treason
-
Quebec separatist win rattles Carney's unity push
-
Furyk vows US will 'do more' to end Ryder Cup losing streak
-
'Itching' for change: Shiffrin cuts back slaloms this season
-
Iyer hits ton as India hammer West Indies in T20 opener
-
'Gen Z has risen up': Tens of thousands mass for tense France school protests
-
Mandhana named India women's team captain after Kaur quits
-
Caribbean tourism hotspot loses men to Russian war machine
-
'The sound keeps coming back': children maimed in Ethiopia's Tigray clashes
-
Danish reservists practice war games to respond to 'aggression'
-
Paris Women's Fashion Week: the key trends
-
Bhuvneshwar returns to India's T20 squad for New Zealand tour
-
i-payout Introduces a New Approach to Payments, Closing the Beneficiary Information Gap
-
Asos says probing 'unauthorised activity' after phone alerts
-
New Generation of Crypto Miners Released by ASICID
-
Stocks climb as oil prices retreat under $100 per barrel
-
New investor forecasts LIV Golf teams could be worth $100 mn each
-
Neutrinos: space particles that change our view of universe
-
Shakira, Pique return to court over children visit arrangements
-
'Destined' Djokovic wins China Open, extending unbeaten record
-
Nobel physics prize hails 'ghostly messengers' from space
-
Iceland is 'critical outpost' for security, says Rubio during visit
-
France's Mistral unveils latest model in sovereign AI push
-
Israeli settlers beat AFP photographer covering West Bank
-
Stocks climb as oil prices retreat
-
'Gen Z has risen up': Tens of thousands demand better education in France
-
Vstock Transfer Names Securities Industry Veteran Erica Goodstein General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer
-
$10 Million and Counting: Hola Prime Hits Major Trader Payout Milestone
-
Four Indonesian seamen return home after Somali pirate ordeal
-
UEFA investigate Ireland-Israel tunnel bustup after spitting claim
-
Crisis-striken Haiti postpones elections
Ancelotti 'not losing sleep' over improved Barca ahead of Clasico
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said La Liga leaders Barcelona's revival is not keeping him up at night ahead of Saturday's Clasico.
Hansi Flick's Barca visit the Santiago Bernabeu sitting three points ahead of the second-place Spanish champions and thrashed German giants Bayern Munich 5-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
However Real Madrid are unbeaten in 42 La Liga matches and can match Barcelona's all-time record of 43 if they avoid defeat.
"The truth is they are doing very well," admitted Ancelotti at a news conference Friday.
"In a game like the Clasico, a derby, it's hard to pick a favourite.
"Luckily nobody is taking any sleep away from me at the moment."
Barcelona struggled last season and Madrid beat them in both La Liga Clasicos.
Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham scored three times in those two games during a fantastic campaign, but this season has not found the net in his first 10 appearances across all competitions.
Ancelotti said he was happy with Bellingham's performances and that the onus was now on superstar striker Kylian Mbappe to lead the scoring charts for Los Blancos.
Bellingham, playing up front at the start of last season after Karim Benzema's departure, scored 10 goals in his first 10 Madrid matches.
"Last year we had no striker, we lost an important striker like Karim, we replaced him with the goals of Bellingham, Joselu and Brahim (Diaz)," continued Ancelotti.
"This year we don't have a problem, because we have a striker that can score 30, 35, 40 goals.
"The important thing is (Bellingham) does his work, which is very important."
Mbappe, who arrived from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, is preparing for his first Clasico and Ancelotti said the striker was relaxed.
The forward is engaged in a battle with former club PSG over 55 million euros ($59.5 million) in allegedly unpaid salary and was recently criticised in France after not playing in Nations League matches for his country.
Reports emerged in Sweden he is being investigated for an alleged rape during a visit to Stockholm earlier in October, which Mbappe described as "fake news".
"His way of managing, preparing for games, is a very calm and simple way," said Ancelotti.
"He's played Barca many times, he knows what he has got to do."
Y.Nakamura--AMWN
