Carlo Ancelotti was not impressed by the criticism of his Real Madrid team prior to their first leg of the Champions League Quarte Final against Arsenal on Tuesday.
Madrid has lifted six Champions League titles in the last 10 years, although supporters have expressed concern about the struggle of the team for consistency this season.
They find themselves four points of drift from Barcelona in the Laliga rankings after they were beaten 2-1 on Saturday by Valencia.
“We can't think about criticism if we have a competition every three days,” Ancelotti told a press conference on Monday.
“What we do is analyze and prepare for each game for the next. The game of tomorrow is very important, but it is only the first 90 minutes of the draw.
“It is not decisive because there will be 90 minutes to play in the Santiago Bernabeu next week.”
This will only be the third meeting between Arsenal and Madrid in the European competition, after their last 16 draw in the UEFA Champions League in 2005-06.
Arsenal won 1-0 in the first stage away from home, before he pulled 0-0 in Highbury in the second stage (1-0 on aggregated).
Madrid did not lose the first stage in one of their last eight knockout stage tires in the Champions League (W5 D3), their joint-long run in the competition in First Leg Games.
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– Real Madrid CF (@Realmadriden) April 7, 2025
But after an almost flawless campaign in 2023-24, when they won the Champions League and Laarga titles with only two losses in all competitions throughout the season, expectations were raised after the signing of Kylian Mbappe.
However, they have difficulty replicating those displays, which only lose five games in LaLiga and are seriously defeated twice by Rivals Barcelona.
However, Ancelotti is confident after switching Manchester City in the Champions League play -offs and local rivals Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.
“If I didn't believe we would win titles this season, I would have stopped. I would consider a vacation,” said Ancelotti.
“We are here to fight for all titles until the end, whatever happens. If it doesn't work, we have to think about next season, but that is not yet the case.
“The experience we have in the Champions League is very important. The knowledge means that you are not afraid of these competitions, with this pressure.”
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