Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has opened up on the reasons behind his team’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the first-leg of the Champions League quarter-final clash.
The defending champions fell like a pack of cards at the Emirates Stadium against the hosts, who produced arguably their best performance of the season to earn a deserved victory.
Real Madrid struggled to cope with Arsenal’s style of play particularly in the last 20 minutes which allowed the hosts to seal a stunning win.
Ancelotti said Real Madrid lost due to physical and mental tiredness, urging his players to recover for the second leg.
He said: “It’s been very difficult for us. We thought the team were strong coming into the game, in the first half we were organised.
“Then after the two goals we conceded from free-kicks, the team struggled mentally and physically. The level dropped.
“It was difficult, it was finishing the game that way. Normally this team raises their game towards the end of games, it was disappointing and poor.
“We have to be critical of ourselves here and do everything we can next week to recover.”
Ancelotti admitted the performance was poor especially in the closing moments of the encounter.
He said: “Normally this team raises their game towards the end of games. It was disappointing, it was poor. We have to be critical of ourselves here and do everything we can next week to recover.
“The possibilities (of qualifying) are quite low, but we have to try 100%. We have to do all we can, it’s an opportunity to show a response to a poor game.
He added: “If you look at the game, there is no possibility. But football changes. Nobody expected that Rice scored two goals from set pieces.
“In football, everything can happen. We need to believe, we need to have trust because, sometimes, a lot of time in Bernabeu, it happens.”
Ancelotti on whether Arsenal are just a better team.
He said: “They showed better quality, attitude, working as a block. We have to be quite critical. For an hour we were not bad. The result should not make us throw everything away. It’s very difficult to come back, but in the first half we did several things very well. We had chances to take the lead. And the physical work was of a very high level.”
Ancelotti will be hoping his side can bounce back in the second leg on April 16.
Real Madrid have now lost two consecutive matches against Valencia, and Arsenal in the last four days.
