Real Madrid lost 3-1 to AC Milan on Matchday 4 of the Champions League and fell to 17th place in the league stage.
After a failed Clasico, Real Madrid were keen to make up for it in front of their home crowd during a great European classic against AC Milan. It was quite the opposite that Ancelotti and his men offered their audience with a 3-1 defeat and an attitude that left something to be desired.
Ancelotti, the main culprit?
The Italian technician is in the eye of the storm with the declining form of his team and the absence of real game ideas this season. Worse still, he leaves the impression of fumbling in every match by walking some of his players all over the pitch like Valverde or Bellingham. His management of young people is also singled out with the lack of playing time for Arda Güler, Endrick or Camavinga.
Tonight's match was no exception as Ancelotti again tried a new eleven with Bellingham on the left wing and Valverde on the right, preferring Modric in midfield. His choices directly put Real Madrid in difficulty since Modric did not have the physical abilities necessary to hold up in midfield. Tchouaméni was completely lost next to him and Valverde and Bellingham found themselves racing into space. Ancelotti's changes are no better than his starting XI. He did not know how to instill something new into his team and the attitude of his players shows that he simply did not find the right words.
Aurélien Tchouaméni, enough is enough
Faulty on the first two Milan goals, the Frenchman was taken off at half-time to put an end to his poor performance. Little applied on set pieces, useless with the ball and lost during Milan's attacks, he showed his worst face for 45 minutes. We can sense that things are not going well this season for Tchouaméni but he has just hit rock bottom with this non-performance.
The former Monegasque needs a trigger to get back to his football which had given Madrid fans great hope when he arrived. Getting a taste of the bench in the next match could trigger this shift in Tchouaméni, who is only shining as a central defender this season. His future at the club is starting to be questioned if we are to believe the information from Relief published this week. Which is understandable given his performances and which places the Frenchman at a turning point in his career at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid's defense is a sieve
Impossible to use another word to describe a defense that has just conceded nine goals in its last three home games. Between the numerous alerts against Dortmund, the disorganization against Barça and the wreck this evening, Real Madrid's defense no longer resembles anything since Carvajal's injury. Lucas Vázquez, who replaces the latter, reminds each duel with the opposing winger that he is not a right-back. On the other side, Ferland Mendy, supposedly “the best defensive fullback in the world” according to Ancelotti, takes on water in transition and in one-on-one situations, even though that is supposed to be his strength.
And what about the central hinge. Militao and Rüdiger are too similar profiles to shine together and are stepping on each other. The German is playing at a completely acceptable level, but is the only one on the defensive line. At his side, the Brazilian Militao has been a shadow of himself since his return from injury and seems to be afraid of the opponent in duels, like on Leao during the second goal. His association with Rüdiger does not work, but, in addition, he is just not at the level of Real Madrid individually. Enough to leave a hell of a job for Carlo Ancelotti, or even for the club's recruitment unit.
