Carlo Ancelotti praised Jude Bellingham for his courage during the clash with Vinicius, highlighting his strong mentality. However, the Real Madrid manager also voiced concerns about his team’s current form and defensive instability ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League match. With key games approaching, Ancelotti stressed the importance of improving performance to stay competitive in both Europe and La Liga.
Ancelotti Lauds Bellingham’s “Balls” in Vinicius Clash
The incident took place just before halftime, with Madrid leading 1-0. Vinicius had the chance to pass the ball to Bellingham for what seemed like an easy goal but chose to take a shot himself, which missed. Bellingham, clearly angry, was caught on camera expressing his frustration toward Vinicius.
Vinicius later redeemed himself by scoring the match-winning goal in the second half, taking advantage of a brilliant pass from Luka Modric.
In the post-match press conference, Ancelotti was asked to share his views on the clash between his two-star players.
“I haven’t seen that play you’re talking about,” he admitted. “But if it has happened, it means that [Bellingham] has balls, character, and it seems good to me.
“Honestly, I didn’t realize the play [had happened]; I’ll watch it. But if he has reacted… let’s be calm; after the game, they were talking and laughing. They have no problems.”
Ancelotti also shared his thoughts on what turned out to be a challenging game for Los Blancos on Saturday night, as his team allowed Celta several opportunities to earn a point from the match.
“The merit we have is that we always compete well until the end. We could have played better, yes, but the group was committed and knew how to suffer, because Celta also competed well, with intensity.
“We took three important points thanks to a fantastic pass from Modric [to Vincius]. It’s something normal for him because of his enormous quality. Luka always contributes, whether he is a starter or coming off the bench. He has such great quality that it always adds up.”
Real Madrid’s upcoming La Liga match will be against their arch-rivals Barcelona on Sunday evening.
Ancelotti Concerned About Team Ahead of Key Champions League Clash
Real Madrid began the new phase of their season with a 2-1 victory over Celta Vigo last night, but the performance raised more questions than answers for the management and players.
Once again this season, Los Blancos earned points with a lackluster performance, where the defense struggled badly. Thibaut Courtois was, in many respects, their only savior.
Ancelotti is Concerned
According to a recent update from SPORT, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is growing increasingly concerned about the challenging weeks ahead, especially with his team’s current form and the tough schedule.
What worries the manager most is the upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, especially after the team’s heavy loss to Lille in the previous match.
The Germans have been in dominant form in the European competition, winning both of their matches, including a commanding 7-1 victory over Celtic in their most recent game. They are currently the leaders of the competition.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos slipped to 17th place following their loss to Lille and are struggling to find their best form on the pitch. Facing Dortmund under these conditions is far from ideal.
The manager’s main concern is the defensive instability, as Eder Militao once again displayed signs of physical issues and failed to form a solid partnership with Antonio Rudiger.
Additionally, Federico Valverde was below his usual standard, and the entire defense was disorganized. If not for Courtois, the outcome could have been much worse.
Losing another UCL match would significantly impact Real Madrid’s chances of finishing in the top eight of the group stage and disrupt their momentum ahead of El Clasico. Therefore, the next two matches are crucial must-win games.
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