Following a stinging 3-1 Champions League defeat to AC Milan, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti openly admitted his team is in a “rough patch.” He pointed to severe defensive lapses as the primary cause for the recent poor form. Ancelotti stressed that both he and the players share the blame and vowed to find immediate solutions to restore the team’s stability and confidence on the pitch.
Defensive Collapse Becomes the Main Concern
Real Madrid’s usually reliable defense has crumbled recently, becoming the team’s most significant weakness. The club has conceded an alarming nine goals in their last three matches, a statistic that deeply worries the manager. Ancelotti believes this lack of defensive solidity goes against the fundamental identity of his team.
“The team is not able to reach a good version, especially in the last two games,” Ancelotti stated, highlighting how easily opponents are creating and exploiting gaps. He made it clear that without fixing these structural issues, the team’s ambitions in both La Liga and the Champions League are at serious risk.
The manager’s primary focus is now on re-establishing the team’s defensive discipline. He identified several key areas that need immediate improvement:
- Lack of compactness between the lines
- Poor organization when out of possession
- Failure to prevent leaks in the backline
These problems have made Madrid vulnerable, and Ancelotti is determined to address them in training to regain control.
Ancelotti on Shared Responsibility and Resilience
When faced with questions about the growing criticism of his leadership, Carlo Ancelotti was direct and honest. He dismissed any suggestion that the scrutiny was unfair, acknowledging that it is a natural consequence of the team’s poor results. He emphasized a collective failure rather than singling out individuals.
“The team is not playing its best, and we are all to blame,” he remarked, making it clear that accountability is shared throughout the entire squad, from the coaching staff to the players.
However, the veteran manager also drew on his extensive experience to offer a message of hope. He reminded the press that navigating difficult periods is part of a long season. Ancelotti expressed confidence in his squad’s resilience and its proven ability to overcome adversity, referencing their journey to becoming European champions last season as a prime example of their mental strength.
Attack Misfires are not the Core Issue
While stars like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. have struggled for accuracy in front of goal, Ancelotti insisted that offensive struggles are not the root of Madrid’s problems. He acknowledged the missed opportunities against Milan but quickly shifted the focus back to the team’s defensive fragility.
“We had many opportunities in attack, but we lacked accuracy,” he said. He then reiterated that the ease with which Milan broke through their lines was a far more pressing issue. This suggests that even if the attackers were more clinical, the team would still be in trouble due to its inability to defend effectively.
A United Dressing Room Ready to Fight Back
Despite the poor results and external pressure, Ancelotti assured everyone that the atmosphere inside the locker room remains positive and united. He described the dressing room as “healthy” and stated that the players understand and accept the need for criticism when they are not performing well.
He stressed that there is no internal conflict, only a collective desire to improve. Ancelotti’s message was one of unity and determination, aimed at reassuring fans that the team is ready to work together to turn their season around. “Now it’s time to get up, fight, and win the next match,” he concluded, setting a clear objective for the challenges ahead.
