Coach Carlo Ancelotti criticized Real Madrid’s poor defense after they were held to a 1-1 draw against Mallorca in their La Liga opener on the early morning of August 18 (Vietnam time). Ancelotti expressed disappointment, stating that Real Madrid could have performed better. After Rodrygo’s 13th-minute opener, Real allowed Mallorca to equalize with a Vedat Muriqi header in the 53rd minute. Ancelotti emphasized the need for improved focus and discipline, particularly in defense, given the team’s attacking setup with four offensive players like Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Bellingham.
“It was a match that Real Madrid could have lost due to a lack of balance. It wasn’t a great performance. We are a team that attacks a lot, and maintaining defensive balance is a fundamental part of how we build our lineup.
We struggled to win the ball back and to press after losing possession. But the defense needs to perform well within this system. Balance is only achieved when all players put in the effort. When we need to win the ball back, we must all think collectively.
This is everyone’s issue, not just the forwards, midfielders, or defenders. This is a problem of a team that hasn’t yet achieved sufficient balance between the lines,” concluded coach Ancelotti.