After crashing out of the Champions League, Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti is now turning his focus to the remaining three competitions — La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Club World Cup.
In recent days, the word on every Real Madrid player’s lips was “remontada.” It’s a Spanish term used to describe a heroic comeback — something the players truly believed in. Jude Bellingham even said before the match that “remontada” had become the most repeated word in their dressing room. But the comeback never came. Instead, Real suffered another bitter defeat, ending their European campaign prematurely.
Ancelotti, though disappointed, isn’t dwelling on the loss. With hope still alive in other competitions, he’s urging his team to move forward.
The Champions League — a competition Real Madrid is most proud of, having lifted the trophy 15 times — saw their journey end in the quarter-finals. Arsenal’s brilliant performance across both legs led to a crushing 5-1 aggregate defeat that knocked out the Spanish giants.
Earlier this season, Madrid lifted the UEFA Super Cup in August. They also made it to the final of the Spanish Super Cup but were beaten 5-2 by arch-rivals Barcelona. Now, the Champions League title defense has come to a premature end as well.
Still, there’s a long road left in the season. Ancelotti is focusing on making the most of it, hoping to spark a strong comeback in the remaining competitions.
“We’re still in the La Liga title race. We’re a bit behind, but we have the match against Barcelona coming up, the Copa del Rey final, and the Club World Cup. We’ll have to manage this part of the season well. We’re not used to getting knocked out of the Champions League this early, but this too is part of football.”
“Now is the time to hold our heads high and learn from our mistakes. Today is a sad day, but I have no doubt about how the boys will respond. We’ll keep fighting, we’ll learn from the experience, and we’ll try to do better in the next match.”
Real Madrid currently trails league leaders Barcelona by four points in La Liga. To retain the league title, they must beat Barcelona and also hope the Catalans drop points in other games. The two rivals are set to face off again in the Copa del Rey final on April 26.
Then in June–July, the new-format Club World Cup will take place in the United States.
Given the current realities, Madrid’s hopes are not overflowing. The team has already been thrashed twice by Barcelona this season, injuries have piled up, and their form has been patchy.
Yet, Ancelotti is determined to guide his team through this storm with belief and resilience.
“If we give up now, it means we haven’t dealt with disappointment properly. We have to refocus and step up. We must become the main characters of this season. There are still important matches to play. I told the boys to keep their heads held high.”
Before the Copa del Rey final, Real Madrid will host Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Sunday, followed by an away match against Getafe on Wednesday.
