After the second Clasico humiliation within a few months, Carlo Ancelotti is in the crossfire of criticism. However, the mechanisms of the business cannot really harm the most successful coach in the history of Real Madrid.
Real Madrid are still smarting from the second Clasico humiliation in 78 days. The resounding 5-2 defeat in the Supercopa final, this “bad game”, has “hit us hard but not sunk us”, according to head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
In the league, Real are five points ahead of their arch-rivals and just one behind city rivals Atletico. Confidence is the order of the day when Celta Vigo visit the Bernabeu on Thursday evening for the Copa del Rey. “The Copa gives us the opportunity to put the Supercopa behind us and, after the setback, to look ahead again with a bunch of mistakes,” believes Ancelotti.
What needs to improve quickly? Work against the ball. Ancelotti had specifically recognized ‘a lack of willingness to work defensively throughout the team’ in Barcelona’s performance. Something that should be fixed quickly. “Now we want to show the right reaction, because we still have good chances in all competitions,” said Ancelotti at the matchday press conference on Wednesday.
Ancelotti: “I don’t want to get involved in it”
The fact that both the international and the domestic press were not sparing with criticism after the humiliation in Saudi Arabia did not affect Ancelotti, at least not outwardly. The 65-year-old’s clear reply: “I don’t want to be the best coach one day and the stupidest coach the next. Because from my experience in this business, I know that I am neither the best nor the stupidest coach.”
Before the defeat against Barcelona, Real had not been beaten in eight consecutive games. A new streak is to start on Thursday. Then Ancelotti will also be in the spotlight, who came under fire in Spain’s newspapers specifically because of his dubious line-up and tactics.
