Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says that the criticism following his side’s defeat to Lille in the Champions League is “correct” and called for an urgent response from his side before their match against Villarreal on Saturday.
Madrid’s 36-match unbeaten run was ended by Lille as the French club claimed a 1-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Prior to the midweek loss, the last time Ancelotti’s side were defeated in any competition was on January 18 — a 4-2 defeat after extra time at Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey round of 16.
The loss sparked scrutiny, which Ancelotti acknowledged was justified based on the performance.
“Everyone can say what they want,” he said. “The criticism is correct from what we saw on Wednesday. Sometimes there are moments when you have to reconnect and you have to do it quickly and fast sometimes. None of us like to lose, but sometimes a defeat reconnects you with reality.
“We’re not at our level, but there are players who haven’t reached their level yet, but that’s normal. We lack a bit of intensity defensively and offensively, speed in the ball circulation.”
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Madrid are three points behind rivals Barcelona in La Liga but remain unbeaten in the Spanish top flight.
Striker Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, was left out of France’s squad for their upcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel and Belgium later this month.
The 25-year-old suffered a thigh injury during Madrid’s 3-2 victory at home to Alaves in La Liga on September 24 and missed the match at Atletico the following week, but featured as a substitute against Lille after Ancelotti said he had recovered “very quickly”.
Despite not being picked for France, Ancelotti stated Mbappe has been training with Madrid ahead of Saturday’s clash.
“I don’t want to have an opinion on what the national team coaches say,” Ancelotti said. “Mbappe had a problem that seems to be resolved, it’s not 100 per cent resolved, he trained normally today. (Didier) Deschamps has chosen not to call him up.”
(Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
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