Ancelotti Is Disappointed That Real Madrid Is Humiliated By Barcelona

Carlo Ancelotti did not expect Real Madrid to be humiliated by Barcelona (Instagram/@realmadrid).

Carlo Ancelotti said he was sad and disappointed after Real Madrid lost 2-5 to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup (Supercopa de Espana) final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Monday, January 13, 2025, early morning WIB.

Kylian Mbappe put Los Blancos ahead in the fifth minute before Lamine Yamal equalized.

Goals from Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde gave Barcelona a 4-1 lead in the first half.

Raphinha added the fifth goal after the break before goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off. Rodrygo then narrowed Real Madrid down.

Ancelotti admitted that his troops did not survive well.

"We have to look at reality. We didn't defend well. We tried to press high and defend low blocks."

"They scored easily. We didn't work hard, collectively or individually."

"We lost a lot of duels. It made us sad and disappointed, but that's football."

"We have to bring that sadness home. I understand the sadness of our fans. We feel it, but we have to look forward."

"We have to prepare for the next match, as well as restore the good performance we have shown," said Ancelotti, who was sluggish in a press conference after the match.

Real Madrid will take action again in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey on Friday, January 17, 2025, early morning WIB, hosting Celta Vigo in Bernabeu, before fighting Las Palmas in La Liga (19 January 2025).

Ancelotti needs to solve the problem before looking at the two matches.

"I'm not going to mention anyone, I'm talking about the whole team. We didn't defend well, we didn't stick together, and we had to defend better."

"We have an extra player (after Szczesny's red card) and we can't find a solution."

"However, it was no more painful, I am saddened by the overall game," said the Italian coach.

Meanwhile, Luka Modric promised that Real Madrid would bounce back from a crushing defeat in the hands of their arch-foe and apologize to supporters.

"I'm sure we will react after this heavy defeat. We didn't expect to lose like that, but this is football."

"We apologize to the fans. We have to keep going, keep coming together, there are still many seasons left."

"We can't always win. If we have to lose trophies, we'd rather lose this trophy (The Spanish Super Cup)."

"We have to congratulate Barcelona, they played very well, they were better and that's all. We have to fix and correct our mistakes," Modric told reporters.

The crushing blow to Real Madrid cost them what they were supposed to be their third trophy of the season.

Instead, the result was an impetus for Barcelona and coach Hansi Flick after their league performance slumped in recent weeks.