Anselmi reveals his plan for Real Madrid: defend with the ball

Martín Anselmi has explained how Elche intend to contain Real Madrid. The Argentine coach wants his team to keep possession for as long as possible and deny José Mourinho’s side the space to attack. The idea is clear. Carrying it out against one of LaLiga’s most dangerous teams will be the difficult part.

ELCHE WANT TO DENY MADRID SPACE

Anselmi acknowledged that leaving open ground for Real Madrid would be an invitation for trouble. He therefore wants Elche to build patiently and avoid losing the ball shortly after regaining it.

“The best way to defend against Madrid will be with the ball and by showing patience when building our attacks. When you lose it quickly, you are closer to being hurt,” the Elche coach explained at his pre-match press conference.

His assessment is also a sign of respect for Madrid’s attacking power. Mourinho’s team do not require long spells of possession to create danger. A single mistake can provide the space their forwards need to move the game towards the opposition penalty area within seconds.

THE THREAT GOES BEYOND TWO PLAYERS

Asked specifically about Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, Anselmi stressed that Elche cannot focus exclusively on Madrid’s two star forwards.

“If they do not attack, others will. They make difficult moves look easy because they push you to the limit. You cannot give anything away, because being one second late can cost you dearly,” he said.

The numbers explain his caution. Real Madrid have collected 12 points from five league matches, scoring 14 goals and conceding four. Elche have two points, with six goals scored and 13 allowed. The hosts may want to control the contest through possession, but keeping the ball against Madrid is considerably harder than announcing the intention at a press conference.

ANSELMI PRAISES MOURINHO

Anselmi also spoke warmly about José Mourinho, describing the opportunity to face the Portuguese coach as a privilege. He argued that opponents are a manager’s best teachers because they provide lessons in different ways of winning matches.

Elche enter the game after a 1-1 draw against Athletic Club at San Mamés. With limited recovery time, Anselmi said he would assess his players’ condition before deciding whether to rotate. Yago Santiago is the hosts’ only confirmed absentee.

The sixth-round LaLiga fixture will begin at 9:30pm CEST on Tuesday, 15 September, at the Estadio Martínez Valero. Elche’s plan is to defend by keeping possession. Madrid’s task will be to show how quickly they can take it away — and how effectively they can punish the moment it is lost.