We are motivated enough to battle Atletico, says Carlo Ancelotti

CARLO Ancelotti says Real Madrid’s six-game winless streak against Atletico Madrid this season is providing his team with extra motivation ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Atletico were victorious in both Liga meetings this term – the most recent a 4-0 thrashing in February – and knocked Real out of the Copa Del Rey as well as beating their city rivals in the Supercopa de Espana back in August.

Los Blancos’ last win over Atletico, in fact, came in last season’s Champions League final.

The seventh meeting between the teams in 2014-15 takes place at the Vicente Calderon and Ancelotti is brimming with confidence after his team kept the pressure on league leaders Barcelona with a 3-0 success over Eibar on Saturday.

“The last results against Atletico give us extra motivation,” the Italian coach said.

“We are convinced it will be a different game, but difficult as always when we play Atletico.

“But we are in a good place at the moment, full of motivation for the European competition and we are going to give our best.

“We haven’t got any doubts that it will be an intense game”.

We do know intensity will be an important part of the game, but then there are other things as well which we have to use.”