Real Madrid News
Ancelotti acknowledges Man City’s superiority after 4-0 thrashing: “Better than us”
Manchester City hammered four goals past Real Madrid on Wednesday night to book a ticket to the UEFA Champions League final at Istanbul. The very fact that the scoreline reflects such a heavy defeat on a night when Thibaut Courtois was at his best tells the entire story.
The Sky Blues not only dominated the game but made the men in white look like amateurs with their dynamic and attacking football. The result is only fair and deserved for Guardiola’s side.
Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media after his team’s tough defeat and covered topics ranging from the opposition to his review of the season. Here are the snippets from his interaction.
The manager began his press conference with words of appreciation for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and the first half in which they completely outplayed the defending champions.
“We played against opposition who deserved to win tonight because they played with more intensity and real quality in the first half. They really paved the way to the final there. They were better than us today like we were last season. That can happen in a Champions League semi-final.”
Nothing appeared to work for Los Blancos at Etihad on Wednesday. They struggled to string together passes and move forward and were under constant pressure from the English leaders. Speaking about what went wrong, he said,
“We didn’t manage to implement what we’d planned. It doesn’t have to be a drama. We have lost a game against superior opposition on the night. We can’t think the attitude wasn’t right for a Champions League semi-final. It’s just a step which means we have to try and be better next year.”
The UEFA Champions League has always been a special competition for Real Madrid. The men in white are designed for the big nights and yesterday’s loss will go down as one of the rare occasions that they did not have enough to compete. Ancelotti appreciated his squad for their effort and expressed his enthusiasm for the next edition.
“This squad did very well last year and this year. They beat City last year in the semi-final and we won the Champions League, but today we didn’t have it in us to play in another final. I’m convinced that this squad will do better next season and we’re already focused on the next edition of the Champions League, where we want to be top-billing again.”
Ancelotti was then asked to review Real Madrid’s season across all competitions given that they now no longer compete for any title. The Italian was optimistic about the Merengues’ results and hoped for a strong finish in the games to come.
“It’s been a good season. There are four games to go and we have to give it our best shot. Hopefully, we can finish well. Reaching a Champions League semi-final is a success because only four teams can reach it. Losing a semi-final can happen.”
Finally, the inevitable question surrounding his future popped up and Ancelotti wouldn’t hear any of it. Addressing rumours about his continuity next season, the tactician said,
“The club president was quite clear 15 days ago. So nobody has any doubt. What the president tells me privately I’m not going to say here.”
Source: Real Madrid website
Real Madrid News
Jose Mourinho wants more attacking options at Real Madrid despite reaching 500-goal milestone
Jose Mourinho wants Real Madrid to become even more dangerous in attack, despite reaching a significant milestone during their 4-3 victory over AS Roma.
According to MARCA, it has come to light that Antonio Rudiger’s goal against Roma helped Mourinho’s Real Madrid reach 500 goals under his management.
However, the achievement has not changed the Portuguese coach’s desire to add more variety to his team’s attacking play.
In fact, Mourinho wants a side capable of controlling possession, launching rapid counter-attacks and creating danger from set pieces, all without losing the defensive discipline that defines his approach.
Mourinho targets attacking variety at Real Madrid
Real Madrid already have considerable firepower at their disposal, with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., Yan Diomande, Arda Guler, Carlos Espi and Endrick, giving Mourinho several attacking options.
On top of that, the injured Rodrygo would provide another high-quality alternative once available.
Hence, the challenge is not only to score more goals, but to make Real Madrid less predictable.
Mourinho wants his forwards to exploit their pace in transition while ensuring the team can also break down opponents through patient build-up play.
Set pieces are another important part of his plans, as combining those threats with defensive organisation would give the team more ways to control matches and punish different types of opposition.
Mourinho reaches 500 goals for Real Madrid
Rudiger’s strike against Roma carried added significance because it took Mourinho to 500 goals in 188 matches as Real Madrid manager.
That works out at an average of 2.66 goals per game, the best return among club managers who have overseen at least 50 matches.
La Liga accounts for the largest share, with Real Madrid scoring 345 goals in 122 matches.
They have added 92 goals in 38 Champions League games, 55 in 24 Copa del Rey matches and eight in four Spanish Super Cup fixtures.
Their biggest victory during this spell came in the 2010-11 Copa del Rey, when Madrid beat Levante 8-0.
This season, though, the team are averaging 2.5 goals per match.
Mourinho wants more from Real Madrid’s attack
The numbers underline Real Madrid’s scoring power, but Mourinho is looking beyond the milestone.
His ambition is to build a more versatile attack that can adapt to different opponents rather than rely solely on individual brilliance or quick transitions.
With Mbappe and Vinicius offering pace and penetration, and several other options providing different qualities, Madrid have the personnel to develop that flexibility.
Hence, the next step is making those strengths work together consistently.
