Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti says the criticism following his side’s Champions League defeat by Lille is “right” and called for an urgent response from his side ahead of Saturday’s game against Villarreal.
Madrid’s 36-match unbeaten run was ended by Lille as the French club won 1-0 on Wednesday night.
Before the midweek defeat, Ancelotti’s side had last won in any competition on January 18 — a 4-2 extra-time loss at Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
The loss drew criticism, which Ancelotti admitted was justified given the performance.
“Everyone can say what they want,” he said. “The criticism is right based on what we saw on Wednesday. Sometimes there are moments when you need to reconnect and you need to do it fast and fast sometimes. None of us likes to lose, but sometimes defeat brings you back to reality.
“We are not at our level, but there are players who have not reached their level yet, but that is normal. We need a little enthusiasm in defense and attack, speed on the ball.”
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Madrid are three points behind rivals Barcelona in La Liga but are still unbeaten in the Spanish top flight.
However, striker Kylian Mbappe was not included in France’s squad for their upcoming Nations League games against Israel and Belgium later this month.
The 25-year-old picked up a thigh injury in Madrid’s 3-2 win at home to Alaves in La Liga on September 24 and missed the game at Atletico the following week, but came on as a substitute against Lille after Ancelotti said he had equalized themselves. very quickly”.
Despite not being selected for France, Ancelotti said Mbappe had trained with Madrid ahead of Saturday’s game.
“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 percent resolved, he trained normally today. (Didier) Deschamps has chosen not to call him.”
(Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)
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