Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti didn’t hide his frustration following his team’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Real Betis in La Liga on Saturday. With a crucial Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid looming, the Italian coach warned that if his squad replicates this performance, victory will be out of reach.
Madrid initially looked sharp, taking the lead within the first 10 minutes at Estadio Benito Villamarín. Brahim Díaz finished off an impressive attacking sequence involving Kylian Mbappé and Ferland Mendy. However, Betis responded before halftime as Johnny Cardoso equalized with a well-placed header. The comeback was completed early in the second half when former Real Madrid star Isco converted a penalty.
The defeat could have major title race implications, as Barcelona now has the chance to move three points clear if they secure a win against Real Sociedad later in the day. For Ancelotti, however, the bigger concern is how this loss affects Madrid’s mindset ahead of their Champions League last-16 showdown against Atletico at the Bernabéu.
“We started well, but we couldn’t sustain that energy and discipline,” Ancelotti admitted after the match. “We lost control against a team that played better and deserved the win.”
When reminded that Madrid had only collected five points from their last 15 available in La Liga, Ancelotti acknowledged the setback as “a tough blow.”
“We need to respond quickly. At this stage of the season, every defeat is costly because every team is fighting for something,” he said.
Pressed on whether his players lacked a collective effort, Ancelotti was candid: “I don’t know what’s going through their heads. But what I do know is that after the first 20 minutes, where we were well-structured and in control, we completely lost our rhythm. We kept giving the ball away—27 times in the first half alone! That’s unacceptable.”
With Atletico Madrid awaiting them midweek, Ancelotti issued a clear warning: “If we play like this on Tuesday, we won’t win. That much is certain.”
The Madrid boss hopes this defeat serves as a wake-up call for his squad. “Lately, we’ve been organized and compact, but today we lost that completely.”
As for Kylian Mbappé, Ancelotti opted to substitute him early, explaining: “He hadn’t trained much recently and wasn’t at his best. You could see it, so I didn’t want to take any risks. That’s why I brought Endrick on.”
With a massive European clash on the horizon, Ancelotti will be demanding a much stronger performance from his players—one that truly reflects their title ambitions.
