After his team’s defeat at Anfield (2-0), Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the press.
At a press conference
His feelings about defeat
To be honest, the result is okay. They deserved to win. They have a good dynamic at the moment, they are well connected, they play with intensity. Our approach was correct, we defended well, looked for opportunities in transition… but we missed chances. We competed until the penalty, where we could have equalized. The team fought well. This is the way to go, to be a team, a competitive unit that fights. There are things to improve, that’s obvious. And we will do it.
Have you ever had to help a player regain his level, like Mbappé?
It has often happened that attackers have difficulty scoring and that this weakens them. There is a cure, and that is to be patient. You have to be patient, because things will get better soon.
Maybe he lacks a little confidence?
Maybe a little, but the idea must be to play simple, it’s transitional. You can’t judge everything on a missed penalty.
What do you recommend to Kylian?
To continue working, everything is fine. Things aren’t working out for him, that’s okay. He is an extraordinary player and the goals will come.
Do you have any regrets about your tactical approach?
No, no. We defended well. We started well, we made transitions…. And we had them. The game plan was the right one.
Are you afraid of not being in the top eight?
If we continue like this… today’s match was not decisive, because reaching the top 8 was already very difficult. We need to get into the top 24 and be competitive. Like we did last year.
Today, Camavinga injured… Is there a certain psychosis in this locker room?
Last year it wasn’t much different. We had this kind of problem… Today, Camavinga fell. I hope Tchouameni and Rodrygo come back in the next match. It’s a difficult time, but we have to hang on. And we saw last year that injuries also provide opportunities.
What do you think of Güler’s match and that of Brahim?
Brahim played well, in a strange position. He pressed… Arda also did a good offensive job, although he could have been more precise. He could have made better decisions. He is young and lacks experience.
In flash interview
Analyse : “The match was difficult, but we knew it would be. I think it’s the most complicated stadium in Europe at the moment, they have a good dynamic, we were in the match until the penalty and then we dropped in level in the first half, we defended well, we could have benefited more from the counter-attacks, but…”
His impression: “I liked the team, I think we competed well against the toughest opponent in Europe. The result is fair because they deserved to win, but we were competitive. We have to qualify, we will qualify and participate in the final phase like last season, this is the way to go, we cannot think otherwise because we are starting to become a team again, to make sacrifices. We also have to recover players.
Injuries: “Today Lucas was back, Rodrygo will be back, Tchouaméni… It’s another problem, the problem of injuries, we have to try to recover the players.”
Mbappé: “Like the others, he fought, he competed, he wasn’t effective, he missed the penalty and it’s going to be a complicated moment, but he has the support of everyone. Missing a penalty in a match like that, the player is a little disappointed, but we have to look forward.”
