Carlo Ancelotti expressed frustration with Real Madrid’s performance following their 1-1 draw against Mallorca on Sunday night.
Addressing the media, Ancelotti highlighted issues with the team’s attitude and defensive organization, stating, “Last year I was happy with some draws, but not today. We could have done much better.
I don’t want to make excuses. We just had to do better, with more attitude.
You can learn from these games. It’s clear where the problem is.”
Regarding the team’s first-half performance, Ancelotti noted, “We started the game well, but it wasn’t a good game. We need to defend better.
We need more balance. We’ve said it before, we’re very offensive and balance is essential.”
On the timing of his substitutions, Ancelotti said, “Maybe. Everyone has their own opinion, but I don’t want to comment on this.”
Discussing Kylian Mbappé’s role, Ancelotti explained, “They [the forwards] swap positions sometimes.
Sometimes one or the other occupies the position, depending on how they are doing.”
Reflecting on rotations and defensive issues, he remarked, “Last year we didn’t make many changes, but when the Champions League begins we will rotate more.
Speaking about the defensive aspect, we were not good. We struggled with the pressure after losing.
We have to improve that. We are talking about attitude and collective commitment.”
On the team’s overall shape, Ancelotti observed, “The problem is that the team was too open.
We have to concentrate more, as we usually do. It’s not a physical or mental problem.”
Finally, Ancelotti emphasized the need for collective effort in finding balance: “When we win the ball back, we all have to think about it together.
You can think that it is a problem for the forwards, but it could be a problem for the defense, or for the midfielders.
It is not a problem for one, two, or three. It is a problem for a team that did not understand that it was a key aspect. Mallorca played a great game defensively. The draw is correct.”
