![Ancelotti wants a team effort amid Real Madrid defensive injury crisis](https://nbdsport.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CgAGVmemGxCAMZeVAAYhAuPShtU098.jpg)
Carlo Ancelotti has summoned the Real Madrid attackers to defensively chips against Atletico Madrid.
Madrid will record their city rivals on Saturday in a top-of-the-table collision in Laliga.
After a shock destruction against Espanyol last week, Los Blancos would be overtaken by Atletico if Diego Simeone's team would win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Ancelotti was successful due to recent injuries to David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger, which means he fails to do defensive options, and the Italian knows that it will take a team effort to keep Atletico at a distance.
“The defensive problem is the problem of everyone, including the strikers. It is a collective problem,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“But we can't just ignore the fact that we have lost important players, such as Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao [to ACL injuries]. And despite that we are still fighting in all competitions.
“Rudiger and Alaba will come back soon, but let's not forget that we are going through the time of emergency situations, because we have lost very important defenders in a crucial part of the season.”
Our team for the game! @Atletienglish pic.twitter.com/0n2muwtz5z
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Madrid has not defeated their top-four rivals this season and will be a huge challenge in the coming days for a massive challenge for the first stage for the first stage of their Champions League play-off collision in Manchester City.
They meet an Atletico side in Scintilling Form. However, Ancelotti hoped that his inconsistent team could gather for an intense derby.
“What we need on Saturday are three points, there is nothing more than the three points we need. We think no further than that,” he said.
“We will be confronted with a strong opponent and it is true that in some cases we have not been to our best this season, but it's about winning tomorrow and to win tomorrow, we have to be solid, about our balance. “
Ancelotti has won only 35% of his matches as a coach of Madrid against Atleti in all competitions (G23 W8 D7 L8); Only against Man City (17% – G6 W1 D3 L2) has he posted a lower winning percentage among all his rivals that was confronted with Los Blancos at least five times.
In fact, Madrid has lost two of their last five meetings with Atleti in all competitions (W1 D2), such as many defeats as in their previous 15 Derbies (W6 D7 L2).
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