Ancelotti launches robust defence of Real Madrid’s UCL struggles this season

Carlo Ancelotti has defended his record as Real Madrid manager this season despite their problems.

Ancelotti, who is in his second spell with the Spanish giants, has won 14 trophies in 310 games with the club, including three Champions League titles.

Real won the league in 2023/24 but Wednesday's 2-0 defeat to Liverpool left their hopes of defending their title in doubt.

Los Blancos were outclassed at Anfield and now sit 24th in the league stage with two wins and three defeats from five games, meaning the club may fail to qualify for the knockout stages.

Real are also four points behind in LaLiga, where they have scored 14 fewer goals than arch-rivals Barcelona, ​​despite boasting a mouth-watering array of attacking talent including Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jnr and Kylian Mbappe.

Despite these struggles, Ancelotti played down the criticism and made a strong statement as he put pressure on Real's difficult Champions League season so far.

“Don't forget that Real Madrid will play the Champions League final in Munich,” he told Spanish radio station El Larguero. “We'll be there.”

This season's Champions League final will take place at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena, but if Real fail to finish in the top 24 of the competition stage, their hopes of reaching the showpiece will be over.

The top eight teams in the competition's new format will automatically qualify for the last 16 stage, while the teams from ninth to 24th will play in a preliminary knockout round.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti won the Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup and LaLiga in 2023/24, but Real have faced a raft of problems this time around.

Not only has Mbappe struggled to establish himself at the Bernabeu since his successful move from PSG on a free transfer in the summer, but the 15-time European champions are also facing a raft of injuries.

The likes of Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo, David Alaba, Eder Militao, Dani Carvajal and Aurelien Tchouameni are all currently on the sidelines, while others like Bellingham have struggled for form.

After the defeat to Liverpool, Real icon Gareth Bale admitted he had sympathy for Ancelotti at a difficult time for the Italian.

“It's very difficult to compete under these conditions with so many injuries,” Bale told TNT Sports. 'Many things are not working at the moment [at Madrid].

“Real Madrid are going through a difficult period, but we know they always find a way to overcome their struggles,” he added.

Mbappe's disappointing start at the club has been a major talking point, with the Frenchman missing a penalty against the Reds.

He has scored nine goals in 18 games, but only one of those came in the Champions League and the embattled forward is yet to reach the heights many expected him to in the Spanish capital.

However, Ancelotti backed Mbappe, claiming he knew exactly what it would take to get him back to his best.

“It has often happened that attackers have difficulty scoring,” he said. 'There is a medicine that requires patience. It's a difficult moment for him, especially after missing the penalty. Everyone should support him.'

He added: “He may be a little lacking in confidence. If things don't go your way, you should have the idea to play simple.

'It seems a bit at the moment, but you can't judge him on missing a penalty. All players miss penalties. It must continue to work well. We have to be patient because he is an extraordinary player.'

A real return to action when they entertain Getafe at the Bernabeu in LaLiga on Sunday afternoon.