Madrid: After a crushing loss to Barcelona, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti rues the missed chances in La Liga El Clasico and said his side have to overcome the deficit as the season is long with a lot of games.
After losing all four of their last competitive meetings with the old enemy Real Madrid, Barcelona finally conquered the Santiago Bernabeu to the tune of a resounding 4-0 victory, ending Madrid’s 42-match unbeaten streak.
“At 0-0 it was an even game and we played with intensity in the first half. We could have scored, but we didn’t. We had our chances to take the lead. After they scored we lost our momentum. Then they had space at 0-2, we had to take risks with one-on-ones at the back and they created several chances on the counter. We looked good in the first half and we have to continue in that vein. We are hurt, it’s a hard and difficult moment,” Ancelotti said.
“The season is long, we can’t give up and we have to learn from this defeat. We learned from the last one and we can apply the same theory now. Now we have to overcome the deficit because the season is long with a lot of games. We can do better and I’m sure we will,” he added.
The first half began with the ball moving from one area to the other and the first chance fell to the visitors after thirteen minutes in a one-on-one in which Lunin was more accurate than Lamine Yamal.
Inigo Martinez, didn’t miss the target when he headed home Raphinha’s cross on the half-hour mark. Mbappe scored in the next move, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Then, two minutes inti the second half, Lewandowski’s brace in the 54th and 56th minutes made it difficult for Madrid, who could have reduced the deficit when Mbappe’s one-on-one with Inaki Pena, but the latter was able to parry the ball away in the 63rd minute.
“We were unable to take advantage of their high pressure. Mbappé came close to scoring, sometimes he was offside, but it’s normal with such an outfacing defence. He had three or four chances where he could have scored. Then something happened with the assistant, not with Flick. The assistant wasn’t a gentleman after celebrating in front of our bench. I said that to Flick and he agreed,” said Ancelotti.
(IANS)
