Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti is struggling to accept his team’s disastrous defensive performance.
Ahead of their title fight, Real Madrid couldn’t escape the haunting memory of their humiliating defeat to Barcelona two and a half months ago. There was talk of revenge, but it didn’t translate onto the field. Instead, after another chaotic display in the Spanish Super Cup final, Ancelotti’s side found themselves on the losing end against their fierce rivals once more, leaving the team feeling deeply frustrated.
In Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah, Real Madrid aimed to boost their confidence by winning the trophy to kick off the year, while also seeking to avenge their 4-0 home defeat to Barcelona in La Liga last October.
The match started brightly for them, with Kylian Mbappé scoring early, but that’s where the excitement ended. Barcelona unleashed a goal spree. In the first half, Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde all found the back of the net. Raphinha scored again at the start of the second half, sealing the game with a 5-2 victory for the Catalan club.
In the 56th minute, Barcelona’s goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was shown a red card, creating a brief possibility for a dramatic turn of events. However, despite reducing the deficit by one goal, Real couldn’t do anything more. Ancelotti’s greatest disappointment stemmed from the team’s defense, especially their abysmal performance in their own box.
“We have to accept our reality. We didn’t defend well. We tried to press higher up and build a defensive wall in our box, but they scored easily. We didn’t work hard enough, either as a team or individually,” Ancelotti admitted.
“We lost a lot of duels for possession. It’s painful and frustrating. But this is football, and we have to carry this pain with us. I understand the fans’ frustration. We feel it too, but we have to look ahead, prepare for the next match, and return to the good form we had earlier.”
Real Madrid’s next challenge is in the Copa del Rey. In the round of 16, Ancelotti’s team will face Celta Vigo, with the match set to take place on Thursday at their home ground.
