Carlo Ancelotti entered the press room Santiago Bernabéu and analyzed the game between Real Madrid and AC Milan, on the fourth matchday of the group stage Champions League: “The reality is what you see on the field and we are missing something. We have to fix that. The night will be very long and that is normal. We all need to think about how we can improve things and regain the stability that we had for a long time and that we are missing now. We lack stability. We have conceded nine goals in the last few games and that is too much for a team that has built its strength on stability.”
“We had a lot of chances and we lacked accuracy, but the important thing is how easily the opponent comes up with offensive solutions. This is the main problem and we need to fix it. Defensively we can’t perform like we did tonight.”
Difficult time as a coach
“Every year there are difficult moments when you have to fight, persevere and reflect. What’s unusual is that this team had a very good period and then quickly tailed off in the last few games. That’s part of football, but the good thing about football is that you can react quickly and we have another game in our stadium to become last year’s team again.”
Is it unfair that he is being questioned?
“I don’t think that’s unfair. It seems normal to me because if the team doesn’t show its best version, it is the coach’s responsibility. It is very important that we all take responsibility. When we win, we all win together, and when we have to suffer and fight, we all have to do it together, because that is how we gain strength.”
“We all have to take a step forward together and in this respect the team is united and cohesive. Suffering brings more together and you can put the bad phase behind you as quickly as possible. It’s good that the players are seriously affected. It’s going to be a long night but that’s okay so we can all think about how we can improve our performance.”
Does his message resonate with the players?
“The atmosphere in the locker room is healthy. There is now a lot of criticism about the attitude and the training sessions. You have to accept what the criticism says, but we have to be sure of the reality and that is that we are not playing well and we want to do better because it is so very difficult to be successful at the end of the season. We have to fix things and defend better because that’s the key. I need to think about finding solutions to have a more balanced and stable team, but without making crazy changes. Some tactical details can change things.”
The opponents run more than Real Madrid
“Last year we didn’t run any more than our opponents and we did Champions League won. That’s not the problem, it’s the stability. We need to work together more. We are unable to work effectively as a collective. We have to work harder as a team.”
Does he think this team will compete for titles?
“We have confidence that this team will improve and compete in all competitions, as it always has.”
The substitution of Valverde
“What people think on social media is very complicated. I replaced him because he wasn’t 100% fit due to back problems and didn’t seem to be at his best physically.”
The tactical rigor of Italian football
“Italian football is tactically more compact. We were too open and made things easier for AC Milan.”
