In a stunning turn of events, European powerhouse Real Madrid find themselves in the midst of a worrying crisis after suffering a 3-1 home defeat to Italian giants AC Milan in the Champions League. The loss, coming hot on the heels of a humiliating 4-0 thrashing at the hands of arch-rivals Barcelona in El Clásico, has left manager Carlo Ancelotti deeply concerned about his team’s form and future prospects.
Madrid’s Defensive Frailties Exposed
The match at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu started disastrously for the hosts, with Milan’s Malick Thiaw heading the visitors into the lead. Although Vinícius Júnior briefly restored parity from the penalty spot, former Madrid striker Álvaro Morata ensured Milan went into the break 2-1 up. Tijani Reijnders then compounded Madrid’s misery with a late counter-attacking goal to seal a memorable win for the Rossoneri.
Speaking after the game, a visibly frustrated Ancelotti pulled no punches in his assessment of his side’s performance:
“We should be worried because the team isn’t playing well. We have to be more solid, more compact. We’ve conceded a lot of goals.”
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
The defeat leaves Madrid languishing in mid-table in the revamped Champions League league phase and a daunting nine points adrift of Barcelona in LaLiga. Ancelotti acknowledged the gravity of the situation, emphasizing that patience alone would not remedy their current malaise:
“It isn’t about being patient or not, the reality is what you see on the pitch, which is that we’re missing something. Worry in these moments is normal.”
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
Defensive Solidity the Key
While Ancelotti was quick to praise his team’s attacking endeavors, highlighting the numerous chances they created, he was unequivocal in identifying their defensive shortcomings as the root cause of their current woes:
“We’ve conceded nine goals [in three games] and that’s too many for a team which built its strength on solidity.”
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
The Italian tactician called for greater organization and cohesion from his players, dismissing suggestions of a lack of effort but emphasizing the need for more effective collaboration:
“When you aren’t solid, you have to be more organised. You can’t say my players are lazy, but right now we aren’t able to work together effectively.”
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
Dressing Room Unity Intact
Amid speculation of dressing room unrest following the high-profile summer arrival of Kylian Mbappé, Ancelotti was quick to dispel such notions, insisting the squad remained united despite their current tribulations:
“No, the dressing room is healthy. There’ll be a lot of criticism, about our attitude, training… What critics think, we have to accept. We aren’t doing well. We want to do better.”
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
The Road Ahead
With a home game against Osasuna in LaLiga on Saturday before the international break and a daunting trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Champions League on November 27th, Ancelotti and his charges have precious little time to arrest their alarming slide.
The experienced Italian, however, remains confident in his team’s ability to turn things around, drawing on his vast experience to navigate this challenging period:
“Each year, there are difficult moments where you have to struggle, fight, think. What isn’t normal is that this team had a good run, and has fallen very fast. That’s part of football. When you think everything is perfect you fall, but the good thing about football is that you can react.”
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
As the pressure mounts on Ancelotti and his star-studded squad, all eyes will be on the Spanish capital to see if Real Madrid can summon the resilience and quality that has defined their illustrious history and steer their season back on track. For now, though, the inquest into their stuttering form continues, with more questions than answers for the wounded European giants.
