"Now we're where we wanted to be when the season started"

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media on Monday as he looked ahead to taking on Espanyol in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals (Tuesday, 21:00 CET).

With Real Madrid now just one point behind Liga BBVA frontrunners Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, the Italian discussed Los Blancos’ good run of form.

Dip in form for Barça and Atlético: “I don’t think there has been a dip in form, because they played each other and this week they didn’t win. I think La Liga is competitive and there are no easy games. Every team is really up for it when they play. That’s the problem. You can’t win every game. We should be getting credit because the team has kept on fighting since losing at Barcelona and being six points behind.”

Sergio Ramos’ knee: “The improvement is because he’s in good physical shape and is focused. He understands that we need his quality on the pitch. He had a problem in his knee in the match against Real Betis, but we’ll see tomorrow [Tuesday]. At this moment in time, he doesn’t feel so comfortable. If he improves he’ll play, if not he’ll be rested.”

Where he wants to be in La Liga: “Right now we’re where we wanted to be when the season started. We have a lot of games and it’s good to be competitive. That was the objective at the start of the season. We need to be focused in every game.”

Raphael Varane: “He has recovered well. When I think he’s ready to play, he’ll play. We’ll see in the next ten days. When I think he’s ready to play, he’ll play.”

Neymar fee: “I’m not an accountant. I talk about football, not money.”

Espanyol: “It’s a knockout tie and we have to do well. I don’t think it’s different from the game we played [in the Liga BBVA] against Espanyol.”

4-3-3 formation: “This system gives us greater balance, with [Luka] Modric and [Ángel] Di María alongside Xabi Alonso. Isco can play where Di María or Modric play, but he isn’t as comfortable, and he can play as a false nine, as he did against Osasuna. Perhaps tomorrow he could play in Benzema’s position. We'll see.”

Tie: “It’ll be decided [in the second leg] at the Bernabéu.”

Will you rest Cristiano? “If he looks tired then I’ll rest him, but he doesn’t look tired to me. Rotation is necessary when the players are tired. There’s good communication with the players, and they aren’t saying they’re tired. Everyone wants to play.”