Ancelotti Explains What Went Wrong for Real Madrid Against Barcelona

Ancelotti reflects on Real Madrid’s performance during a crushing 5-2 defeat in the Super Cup

It was a night no Real Madrid fan will want to remember, but one that Carlo Ancelotti couldn’t ignore. After a shocking 5-2 loss to Barcelona in the Super Cup final, the Italian coach faced the cameras with brutal honesty. “It was a bad match from the first minute to the last,” he admitted, his frustration evident. In football, moments like these are as much about reflection as they are about results, and Ancelotti didn’t hold back in dissecting his team’s performance.

Real Madrid’s struggles were clear from the outset. Barcelona’s relentless attacking prowess exposed defensive vulnerabilities that Madrid simply couldn’t patch. By halftime, the scoreline read 4-1 in favor of the Catalan side, leaving Ancelotti searching for answers. “At halftime, I told them that the first thing was to try to play football because up until that moment we hadn’t played at all,” he revealed. His words underline a key issue: the team’s inability to adapt under pressure, a trait uncharacteristic of a club with such a storied history.

One of the more striking aspects of Ancelotti’s analysis was his refusal to single out individual players. Instead, he emphasized collective responsibility, stating, “We defended poorly, and that affected the match. It allowed them to score goals easily.” The bluntness of his remarks reflects a coach unwilling to sugarcoat the reality of a defeat that felt far more crushing than the scoreline suggested. Even with a numerical advantage after a red card for Barcelona, Madrid failed to capitalize, a fact that seemed to frustrate their manager the most.

While the loss undoubtedly stings, Ancelotti’s focus remains forward-looking. “This is football, and sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn from defeat,” he said. It’s a sentiment that speaks to the resilience required at this level of the game. For Madrid, the challenge now lies in turning this painful experience into a stepping stone for future success. The coach’s acknowledgment of Kylian Mbappé as “the best” player on the team serves as a reminder of the talent at their disposal, a beacon of hope amid the gloom.

For Barcelona, the victory was comprehensive, a testament to their tactical discipline and attacking flair. But for Real Madrid, the game was a harsh lesson in the importance of cohesion and defensive solidity. Ancelotti’s post-match comments not only highlighted the team’s shortcomings but also set the stage for what needs to change moving forward. His candidness, while painful, is a crucial first step in addressing the issues that plagued this performance.

Football is a game of highs and lows, and this defeat represents one of the latter for Real Madrid. Yet, as Ancelotti himself pointed out, it’s also an opportunity to learn. Whether they seize that opportunity will depend on their ability to confront the harsh truths laid bare in the Super Cup final. For now, Madridistas can only hope that this bitter pill will lead to a sweeter future.

References: Ancelotti: “It was a bad match from the first minute to the last” | Las Provincias – footboom1.com