Sport
Ancelotti: The Celta Vigo Match is an Opportunity to Forget the Barcelona Defeat
Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian manager of La Liga champions Real Madrid, called for a swift reaction from his team following their loss to arch-rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
The Catalans won the title 5-2 on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, and Ancelotti welcomed the upcoming match against Celta Vigo in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Thursday as an opportunity for his team to recover.
Ancelotti said in a press conference: “It’s a great opportunity to forget about the bad game we played, which hurt us a lot, but it hasn’t discouraged us.”
He added: “We want to respond, and this match is good for us against a team that plays well. The team can come back strongly after that bad game.”
The manager, who has been leading Real Madrid since 2021, continued: “It was a step back, but we must move forward. We are in a good position in all competitions.”
Ancelotti believed that his team made “a number of mistakes” against Barcelona, but he sought solutions in the days leading up to Celta Vigo’s visit to the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Italian coach emphasized that he did not want to blame any individual player for the defeat, but noted that the entire team “lacked commitment” in defense.
He went on: “The evaluation of the game is that it was bad defensively in all lines of the team, not just in attack, midfield, or defense, and I have nothing more to add.”
The veteran coach, who led Real Madrid to win the league and the Champions League last season, faced criticism in Spanish media after the loss in Jeddah.
He responded by saying: “I don’t follow the wave of criticism. One day you’re the best in the world, and the next day you’re the dumbest (coach) ever.”
He added: “Fortunately, my experience in this world has given me the balance I need to avoid following the wave… I’m not the best in the world, but I’m not the dumbest either.”
