MADRID
\nReal Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday Barcelona complaints over his club allegedly influencing La Liga referees were unprofessional.
\nBarcelona president Joan Laporta and coach Xavi Hernandez complained Friday about Real Madrid\u2019s television channel broadcasting videos which criticised match officials.
\nXavi said La Liga was \u201ccompletely adulterated\u201d because of the influence leaders Madrid supposedly exert on referees.
\n\u201cI\u2019m a professional and as such, I will not lower myself to that level, out of respect for Spanish football,\u201d Ancelotti told a news conference.
\n\u201cDon\u2019t ask more about that because I don\u2019t want to lower myself (to that), it\u2019s unprofessional.\u201d
\nReal Madrid are 10 points clear of Barcelona, fourth, and city rivals Atletico Madrid, third, who visit the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
\nAncelotti may have to use a player out of position at centre-back for the derby clash if Antonio Rudiger does not recover from a knock.<\/p>\n
With Eder Militao and David Alaba injured, Nacho Fernandez is currently Madrid\u2019s only fit central defender.<\/p>\n
Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has played there in the past for Madrid but he is suspended.<\/p>\n
\u201cRudiger has improved a lot … we\u2019ll look at him tomorrow and take a decision,\u201d said Ancelotti.<\/p>\n
The coach said Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and midfielder Eduardo Camavinga are his options if Rudiger is not fit.<\/p>\n
\u201cCamavinga has never played there but has the characteristics to,\u201d added Ancelotti.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s fast and strong in duels, they are the three options and I\u2019m confident in all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MADRID Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday Barcelona complaints over his club allegedly influencing La Liga referees were unprofessional. Barcelona president Joan Laporta and coach Xavi Hernandez complained Friday about Real Madrid\u2019s television channel broadcasting videos which criticised match officials. Xavi said La Liga was \u201ccompletely adulterated\u201d because of the influence leaders Madrid supposedly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":385194,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-385171","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n