"We are going to bounce back" - Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti fires defiant message amid recent criticism over poor results
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has fired a defiant message, following recent criticism over the club's poor run of form. It has not been an easy start to the season for Los Blancos, despite signing superstar Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer in the summer.
With the French World Cup winner joining the club, expectations - which were already high - have only increased. Last season, the Madridistas had much to celebrate about as the club won La Liga, the Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Champions League.
However, they have had little to celebrate about this season. They recently crashed to a 3-1 loss in the Champions League group stage against AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu on November 5. Prior to that, they endured a 4-0 loss at the hands of eternal rivals Barcelona, also in front of their fans.
They also lost 1-0 to Lille in the Champions League, despite being widely expected to beat the French club. Despite fairly regular wins in the league, Real Madrid have had three draws and one loss in 11 games. They currently sit in second place with 24 points, nine points behind Barcelona, who are in top form.
Madrid's struggles of late have led to criticism from different quarters, but manager Carlo Ancelotti has been defiant in response. Speaking in a press conference, he said (via Fabrizio Romano):
“We will fight for all the titles, for sure. We have the Intercontinental Cup in December. We are going to catch up in La Liga. We are going to bounce back in Champions League.”
He further added (via Madrid Zone on X):
"I fully understand the current situation. Losing is part of the game. We accept the situation. I am convinced that this team will turn it around. This is the biggest and best club in the world."
Ancelotti will hope his players can return to winning ways when they face Osasuna in their upcoming league match. The two clubs will face off on November 9 at the Bernabeu, and Real Madrid will look to give their fans something to cheer about.
Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe unhappy with Carlo Ancelotti, as per reports
According to a report from Mundo Deportivo (via Mirror), Kylian Mbappe is unhappy with Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. The superstar is not pleased about the current tactical formation and style of play under the manager, who has gotten criticized recently due to sub-par performances.
The superstar is also unhappy as he is not the main player at the Santiago Bernabeu, where his teammates are not "playing for him". He is believed to have shared these feelings of displeasure with his camp.
This season, he has scored six goals and provided one assist in 10 La Liga games. However, three of those goals have come from penalties. He has also scored just once in four Champions League games. The Real Madrid star has now been left out of the France national team for their November international games, raising even more questions about his happiness levels.