- Title: 'Majority of Madrid players have delivered, some have not' - Solari
- Date: 9th March 2019
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (MARCH 9, 2019) (REUTERS) REAL MADRID COACH SANTIAGO SOLARI AT TRAINING SESSION TRAINING SESSION SOLARI ARRIVING LATE FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH SANTIAGO SOLARI, ASKED IF THE PLAYERS HAD DELIVERED WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF THEM: "Most of them. Those who have not I have told them personally." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH SANTIAGO SOLARI, SAYING: "I am the coach. Tomorrow our obligation, my obligation and the obligation of everybody as a team is to go there and do our best. We know that after the other day's match it is not the most beautiful moment but we have a professional obligation. There are still 12 matches to be played and we have to try to end up as high as possible." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH SANTIAGO SOLARI, SAYING: "It is in adversity when you can tell the character, and that is not a catch phrase, it is true. It is there when you see who is there and who is not, who disappears, who takes a step forward, who is happy, who is sad, who rebels against the situation. Of course it is going to be a tough match as is every first division match. Valladolid are going to give it all and we have to do the same to keep earning points from now until the end of the tournament." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS SOLARI LEAVING CENTRE BACK SERGIO RAMOS PASSING THE BALL TO PLAYMAKER ISCO ALARCON, ISCO SHOOTING GOALKEEPER THIBAU COURTOIS CHASING THE BALL DURING RONDO STRIKER KARIM BENZEMA DURING KEEP THE BALL DRILL FULL BACK MARCELO HIGH-FIVE WITH CENTRE BACK RAPHAEL VARANE COACH SANTIAGO SOLARI ATTENDING SESSION PLAYERS DURING KEEP THE BALL DRILL ISCO JUGGLING THE BALL MIDFIELDER LUKA MODRIC RECEIVING AN IMPACT WITH THE BALL IN THE FACE AND PUSHING VARANE TO THE GROUND PLAYERS JUGGLING THE BALL DURING RONDO RAMOS TRAINING PLAYERS JUGGLING THE BALL PLAYERS AT RONDO MIDFIELDER CARLOS HENRIQUE CASEMIRO PASSING THE BALL, MODRIC GRABBING THE BALL WITH THE HANDS SOLARI LOOKING AT PLAYERS DURING TRAINING SESSION
- Embargoed: 23rd March 2019 14:31
- Keywords: Real Madrid Santiago Solari
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001A5ATR27
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari has said he has told a small number of his players they have not performed at the level expected this season as his side prepare for the final stretch of a campaign with no realistic chance of winning a trophy.
The Argentine showed up more than an hour late for his news conference on Saturday (March 9) ahead of Sunday's La Liga game away to Real Valladolid, after a harrowing week for the team in which they were knocked out of the Champions League by Ajax Amsterdam.
Solari has lost his last three games in charge of Real, who are third in the league standings, 12 points behind leaders Barcelona and five back from second-placed Atletico Madrid, but practically assured of finishing in the top four.
Solari, who apologised for his late showing, took charge of Real on a temporary basis at the end of October when Julen Lopetegui was sacked and was then handed a contract until 2021.
According to reports in the Spanish media, he will be sacked next week. Solari would not comment on whether his job was in danger.
Solari faces a selection crisis heading into the game against struggling Valladolid, above all in attack as forwards Lucas Vazquez, Vinicius Jr and Gareth Bale are all unavailable after sustaining injuries in Tuesday's 4-1 defeat by Ajax.
Defender Dani Carvajal is also injured as is midfielder Marcos Llorente, while captain Sergio Ramos is suspended.
Production: Silvio Castellanos/Jim Hatley - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None