Carlo Ancelotti promised on March 18, almost two months ago: "I am convinced that we will win something this season".

At that time, Real had just validated its ticket for the last four of the C1, but his team, already badly embarked in La Liga, had lost in the semi-final first leg of the Copa del Rey 1-0 against Barça at the Bernabéu, and would lose the next day 2-1 at Camp Nou in the league.

The horizon was not clear for Ancelotti, facing for the first time since his return questions about his future on the Madrid bench in a press conference.

Even today, not everything is rosy. Real Madrid are coming out of a sawtooth month of April, capable of the best (two 2-0 wins against Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, corrections inflicted on Valladolid, 6-0, Almeria, 4-2, or Barça, 4-0) as well as the worst, like the 4-2 rout on the ground of promoted Girona on April 25 or the recent 2-0 defeat on the field of Real Sociedad on Tuesday for almost seal FC Barcelona's coronation in La Liga.

"They will all be ready"

"Motivation is not like light, it doesn't go out and it doesn't turn on like that. But this team has something pretty special about that. On Saturday, it will be a different team, I'm sure. With maximum motivation, a 100% team, ready to win the Copa del Rey and reach the Champions League final," promised the Italian technician after the defeat in San Sebastián on Tuesday night.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, in Girona on April 25, 2023 © LLUIS GENE / AFP/Archives

Little considered at the beginning of the season, the Copa gained importance in the merengue calendar as the season progressed.

The Madridists, who proclaim themselves the "Kings of Europe" because of their 14 continental crowns, are however late in the King's Cup. Real Madrid has "only" 19, against 23 for Athletic Bilbao or 31 for FC Barcelona.

The nice surprise Osasuna

The last coronation of the "White House" in this competition dates back to 2014, almost ten years ago. An eternity, in merengue space-time.

Facing Osasuna, one of the nice surprises of the season in Spain, who offered a good resistance to ten against eleven against Barça Tuesday at Camp Nou (1-0), Ancelotti will be well armed.

"We will get almost all the players back for Saturday. The only one who will still be unavailable for sure is Ferland Mendy, but all the others, Karim (Benzema), Fede (Valverde)... they will all be ready," Ancelotti said.

Opposite, Osasuna, currently 8th in La Liga, does not start beaten in advance against the ogre Madrid.

Osasuna midfielder Lucas Torro, tackling FC Barcelona player Pedri, on May 2, 2023 in Barcelona © LLUIS GENE / AFP/Archives

The Navarrese team, buoyed by Barcelona nugget Ez Abde and a high-flying Sergio Herrera in the cages, took out Betis, Sevilla FC and Athletic Bilbao in turn to reach the final at the Cartuja stadium in Seville.

The last (and only) time the "Gorritxo" (measles, in Basque) reached this stage was in 2005... and they ended up losing 2-1 after extra time against Betis.

Osasuna in search of a first crown, Real in search of a twentieth title before approaching the last four of the Champions League... On Saturday, the final of the King's Cup 2022-2023 will, whatever happens, be historic.

© 2023 AFP