‘We played well’, Ancelotti says after Real Madrid’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti’s assessment of his side’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool has stunned fans.
Real suffered their third defeat in five Champions League group stage games thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo.
The Spanish giants and reigning holders had just three shots on target over the 90 minutes, with one of those seeing Kylian Mbappe have a penalty saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.
It was a nightmare evening for Mbappe and Real as a whole, with Los Blancos occupying only the final play-off qualification spot in 24th place after five games.
It has been a surprising start to the continental season for Ancelotti’s side, who have Atalanta, Salzburg and Brest still to play in the group stage of the Champions League.
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But what was even more shocking to fans was the Italian manager’s assessment of his side’s performance at Anfield.
Speaking minutes after full-time, he said: “I liked it. We played well.
“This loss doesn’t change much. Even if we won, it would be difficult to make the top eight.”
“I liked the team, because we competed well against the most difficult opponent on the continent. The result is correct, they deserved to win. And the situation doesn’t change much, because if you win today and the top eight win… We are going to qualify and we are going to compete for the title as we did last year. The path is this, to be a team again,” Ancelotti insisted in a post-match interview with Movistar.”
While not yet mathematically impossible, the loss at Liverpool looks almost certain to consign Real to the Champions League play-off round.
The new format, though, does mean that three defeats in five games is not a nightmare – compared to past seasons Real might have been scrambling to even get out of the group with such a record.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are still the only team with a 100 per cent record and have collected 15 points from their five games, conceding just once along the way.
And Ancelotti’s opposite number Arne Slot was understandably pleased with how his side played as they defeated their opposition in a competitive fixture for the first time since 2009.
He told TNT Sports: “We knew how special it is to play against the club that has won the Champions League so many times, and the reigning champions. They were a pain in the a** for Liverpool many times as well!
“I think it was not only the result, but also the way we played was pleasing to see.
“I felt that we were a bit too impatient [in the first half]. Every time they threatened us, which didn’t happen a lot, it was from us being sloppy in passing, or forcing it a bit too much. I said [at half-time] that I thought they could play with more intensity [in the second half] and played better with the ball.”
