Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti appeared in a press conference after winning against Athletic Bilbao with a score of one to zero in the 32nd round of La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The coach said: "In the first half, we played slowly, but in the second half, we were better and created many opportunities. We were good in all aspects; we wanted to react after the European elimination."

He added: "Valverde was the key to victory today because he scored the winning goal; the team did what it had to do, and Fede was a decisive element."

He continued: "Refereeing? This is the new football; the disallowed goal for Vinicius is indisputable in this regard because it's almost automatic, but VAR did not call the referee to award a penalty in favor of Bellingham. This is modern football."

He increased: "In the first half, we controlled the match well thanks to having more players on the pitch. We did not face the pressure that Bilbao usually exerts on us; we did not create scoring opportunities due to a lack of forwards, which made us include them in the second half. In the first half, we were more offensive and recovered quickly. The team was more solid and cohesive, and we did not concede any goals. This is good news, and let's see if we can continue to improve."

He continued: "Entering with a 4-4-2 formation was to enhance control with Modric and Ceballos, who played a full 60 minutes, then to try to score, I put in Endrick and other players in attack. We have another match on Wednesday, and this victory is beneficial for us as it gives us more momentum."

He added: "Vinicius is an exceptional player with a great fighting spirit. He gave his all, and in the second half, he dominated the left-back of Athletic Bilbao, scored a goal, and made two or three great passes. He was decisive. These were not happy days for him or us. I liked his reaction on the field, and he will be a very important element in the upcoming matches. I have no doubt about that. He is a very important player for us thanks to his performance on the field and his fighting spirit."

He completed: "The fans? I had no doubt that they would support us, and the stadium was wonderful as usual. We and the fans believe in our ability to achieve something great this season.

About Bellingham's position in the second half: "It is the position that gave us an advantage last year. In the second half, he played this way and was ready inside the penalty area when the ball was passed. He deserved to score."

About the main goalkeeper who will participate in the cup final: "Either Lunin or Courtois, although I would not rule out Fran Gonzalez, who performed very well."

He concluded: "My preferred system is 4-4-2 because it is the best defensive system. This does not mean that I am forced to use four players in midfield. In fact, we played this way with Vinicius Junior on one wing and Rodrigo on the other wing. You can also play a 4-4-2 system with six players in midfield, as two of them can be forwards."