"He had problems" - Carlo Ancelotti responds after Real Madrid star's wife questions decision in AC Milan loss
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has responded to a comment from Federico Valverde’s wife after Los Blancos' loss to AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League. The Spanish giants were beaten 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu by their Italian counterparts on Tuesday, November 5.
The visitors broke the deadlock through Malick Thiaw (12’). Vinicius Jr restored parity for Madrid via a penalty in the 23rd minute, but AC Millan reclaimed their lead after an Alvaro Morata strike (39’).
Although the defending champions looked for a way back in the second half, another goal from Reijnders (73’) sealed the match for AC Milan.
Ancelotti opted for a 4-4-2 formation against Milan. He deployed Aurelien Tchouameni and Luka Modric in the heart of the midfield, while Valverde and Jude Bellingham operated as inverted wingers from the right and left, respectively.
However, Valverde was replaced by Eduardo Camavinga at the break after the Uruguayan seemed to struggle in the position. Tchouameni was also taken off for Brahim Diaz at halftime.
The manager’s decision to deploy Valverde, primarily a central midfielder, at the wings did not sit well with his wife Mina Bonino. She reportedly took to social media to criticize the manager’s decision to play her partner from the flanks, saying (via @Madrid Universal on X):
“Fede plays best as a pivot. When are they going to understand that he is not a winger?”
When Ancellotti was questioned about Mina Bonino's comment after the match, he replied:
“It's difficult to give an opinion on what people write on social media…”
The Italian manager also shared that he substituted Valverde not due to his performance, but because of an injury.
“I changed Valverde because he wasn't 100%, he had problems, Ancelotti added via Fabrizio Romano.
Valverde recorded 20 touches and 100 percent accurate passes in the first half. However, he completed no key passes, attempted no shots, and lost possession thrice before being substituted.
The 26-year-old has featured in all of Real Madrid’s 16 games across competitions this season, registering three goals and two assists.
Real Madrid suffer consecutive losses at Santiago Bernabeu for the first time in four years
The loss to AC Milan on Tuesday was the first time since 2020 that Real Madrid lost back-to-back matches at home. Los Blancos came into the European clash after a disappointing 4-0 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico in late October.
The Spanish giants were scheduled to face Valencia away in the league in between, but the fixture was postponed due to a flood incident in the Valencia region.
After a full week of rest, the La Liga giants were expected to bounce back from their El Clasico defeat. However, they were outplayed by AC Milan and handed another loss in front of their home fans.
It was also the first time since April 2023 that Real Madrid lost back-to-back games across competitions.