Ancelotti Impressed By Endrick In Real Madrid Pre-Season Defeat

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Carlo Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with Endrick's performance during his Real Madrid debut, despite a 1-0 defeat to Milan in Chicago on Wednesday. Samuel Chukwueze netted the decisive goal for the Rossoneri, completing an impressive team move in the second half. This victory marked Milan's second win under new manager Paulo Fonseca.

With key players like Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Rodrygo absent due to international duties, Endrick had the opportunity to make his first appearance for Los Blancos. The 18-year-old played the first half and created one chance but did not manage any shots or touches inside the box. Despite this, Ancelotti was pleased with Endrick's skills.

"He [Endrick] is someone who has something truly special," Ancelotti said. "He's very fast, very dangerous in tight spaces, has the ability to turn with speed in little space, very agile in getting himself free and all these qualities he has means he's a great talent. It's rare to see a player with these types of characteristics."

@Endrick debuta con el @RealMadrid.#RealMadridOnTour pic.twitter.com/QSnH6b0upm

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) August 1, 2024

This match was Madrid's first pre-season outing, where they struggled to create significant chances in the final third. They managed only two shots on target out of eight attempts overall. However, Ancelotti viewed this game as a positive starting point for the season.

"We competed, we fought, we did some good things," Ancelotti added. "The first game of the pre-season with a lot of youngsters, the important thing was to compete, which we did for the whole game. There were some good moments and others we could improve on, but that's normal."

Upcoming Matches

Madrid will face Barcelona next in New Jersey on Saturday. Meanwhile, Milan is also set to play against La Blaugrana next week.

Ancelotti remains optimistic about his team's progress and looks forward to refining their performance as they continue their pre-season preparations.