Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti believes his side's
crucial La Liga clash against Barcelona has come at a good time.
The Italian watched his team complete a comprehensive 9-2
aggregate victory over Schalke in the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 with a
3-1 home win on Tuesday.
Real are three points clear atop La Liga on 70 points
ahead of Sunday's El Clasico, with Atletico Madrid (67) and Barcelona (66)
still in the hunt.
Barcelona have lost two of their past four league
matches, but looked to be getting back into some form with a 7-0 thrashing of
Osasuna on Sunday.
But Ancelotti said the match came at a good time for his
side, who suffered a 2-1 loss at Barca in October last year.
"I guess we arrive in a really good moment. We are
going to play against a great team," he said.
"I think we have improved a lot from the first game
against them (Barcelona), so we are going to give our best because we need do
to be at 100 per cent to win."
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace and Alvaro Morata a
75th-minute sealer in Real's 3-1 win over Schalke on Tuesday.
Ancelotti expects a tough quarter-final and is delighted
to see three Spanish teams – Real, Barca and Atletico Madrid – in the last
eight.
"To have three teams in the quarter-finals is very
good for the Spanish football," he said.
"All the best teams are going to get to the
quarter-finals. Olympiacos might be the surprise tomorrow if they win at
Manchester United, but the rest are the best teams in Europe.
"They are going to be really difficult
quarter-finals for all of us."
Culled from Soccerway
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