Carlo Ancelotti: Real Madrid Manager Reacts After Loss to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium
- Carlo Ancelotti saw his Real Madrid side fall like a pack of cards against a fired-up Arsenal side at the Emirates Stadium
- The rampaging Gunners dominated the Spanish giants in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg match
- Ancelotti stated that Los Blancos had a good first 60 minutes, but could not handle Declan Rice and Arsenal's set pieces
CHECK OUT: How to Start Earning with Copywriting in Just 7 Days – Even if You’re a Complete Beginner
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has reacted to his side's significant loss to Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The manager spoke with journalists shortly after the European elite encounter but warned that a lot was still at stake in the reverse fixture.
The Italian tactician stated that nobody had expected the Gunners to score two goals, let alone a third goal to cap off a dominant performance.
Source: Getty Images
The first 45 minutes of the match were goalless, but the second half was completely different as the home team dominated from start to finish.
Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 58th minute when he curled home a direct free kick, leaving Thibaut Courtois hapless in the Madrid goal.
The defensive midfielder then found the top corner to extend Arsenal's lead, sending the home crowd at the Emirates Stadium into raptures.
Mikel Merino compounded Real Madrid's woes when he added a late goal, giving the Gunners a 3-0 advantage into next week's second leg.
After the game, Coach Ancelotti responded to questions from Kiyan Sobhani of Managing Real Madrid about the game.
"A lot can happen at the [Santiago] Bernabéu. It seems that after tonight there is no chance, but in football, there are always changes. Nobody expected Arsenal to score two goals from set pieces, but these things happen sometimes. We have to believe.”
Speaking on the defeat, the manager disclosed that the two set-piece goals from Declan Rice scuppered their plans for the second half.
“It was a tough defeat. Obviously, we didn’t expect this, but after the 2-0... in set pieces... we fell apart a bit. We finished the match badly. This team usually reacts, but the last 30 minutes were very bad. We have to be self-critical and think about doing everything possible to try to come back.”
Asked whether there was a possibility of a comeback in the second leg, he admitted that the possibilities were few.
The tactician was also asked to explain what went wrong with his team in the second half. He responded:
“It’s difficult to explain. We lacked a joint reaction, unity. We lost order on the field and from then on, they controlled the ball better.”
With Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo leading the attack, Ancelotti was asked if he had concerns about the front four.
"No. The line-up has been different from previous years, but it is the best. The good guys have to play, that’s what I think. But we have not been able to be a compact block.”
Source: Getty Images
Reacting to a question which insinuated that Arsenal was the better team on the night, the 65-year-old concluded:
“Today 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," he added.
Mikel Arteta reacts to Arsenal's win
Legit.ng earlier reported that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacted with a big smile and shared his thoughts on what the first-leg victory over Real Madrid meant to him as a coach.
The reverse fixture is slated for the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium next Wednesday, with Los Blancos needing at least three goals to have any hopes of reaching the semi-final stage.
PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!
Source: Legit.ng
