The end of the match against Deportivo Alavés at the Santiago Bernabéu left Carlo Ancelotti with a bad feeling, and his post-match comments reflected that.
The dressing room was abuzz after the match, with Real Madrid closer to Thibaut Courtois’ goal than to the Alavés goalkeeper, which angered the Italian coach.
Everything that had been built during the 80 minutes of the match was about to collapse due to the players’ lack of concentration under the increasing pressure from the visiting team.
According to information from the Spanish Defensa Central, the frustrations were clear from Ancelotti and all the players, and the coach expressed his great dissatisfaction with the performance of the match referee Muniz Ruiz, stressing the need not to relax, no matter how much the advantage of the result.
Some players also took responsibility for their actions, with Jesus Vallejo and Arda Guler, who came on in the second half, apologising for their lack of enthusiasm, as Deportivo Alavés’ goals came from the right flank covered by the two players, which almost cost the team three points that were within reach before the hour mark.
The newspaper revealed that Ancelotti accepted Arda Guler’s apology but refused to continue Vallejo with Real Madrid, justifying this by saying that the player does not have the level necessary to represent Real Madrid.
Defensive mistakes and a noticeable lack of focus in crucial moments led to Real Madrid losing a comfortable lead and this tension was translated at the end of the match, with the possibility of a draw still in play, into tough talk from Ancelotti.
The team cannot afford to lose more points, especially with Barcelona’s excellent performance in the league, where they achieved consecutive victories and a four-point lead over Los Blancos.