Madrid, Jan 9 (EFE).- Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti disagreed Friday with statements by his side's goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, who said that he, Casillas, would not choose to sign forward Lionel Messi for his team.
"I'd say that Messi would have a place in any team in the world," said Ancelotti, but thanked Casillas anyway for stating publicly that he much prefers Ancelotti's coaching style over that of his Portuguese predecessor, Jose Mourinho.
The Italian coach confirmed Friday he decided to rest Portuguese goal machine Cristiano Ronaldo in the Madrid Derby against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of Copa del Rey second round not because of sore knees, but to rest him after the Valencia match.
"Cristiano Ronaldo's knees are fine. There aren't any problems. He was a bit tired, I thought it was a risk to play him for the entire game and opted to bring him on later," Ancelotti said in a press conference.
The Italian declined to give odds on the upcoming match betwe
