‘Complete Performance’ – Ancelotti Hails Real Madrid For Beating Man City

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has described the 3-2 win over Manchester City at the Etihad on Wednesday as a complete performance from his players.

The defending champions showed up with arguably their best performance in the competition this season with their trademark style of turning the game around at the death.

The hosts took the lead through Erling Haaland in the 19th minute. The visitors failed to take their chances as the opening period ended in Man City’s favour.

Kylian Mbappe scrambled in a leveller on the hour mark before Erling Haaland restored Man City’s lead from the spot after Dani Ceballos fouled Phil Foden in the 80th minute.

Real Madrid once again showed their quality in the Champions League despite playing with a disjointed backline. Brahim Diaz restored parity in the 86th minute to make it 2-2.

Jude Bellingham grabbed the winning goal for Real Madrid in the 92nd minute to break Man City’s heart, and to give his club a vital lead going into the second leg.

Ancelotti praised his players for their complete performance against Manchester City at the Etihad with a depleted backline.

He said: “I think it was a complete game in all aspects, beyond criticism on my part.

“Everyone worked hard. We had a lot of chances. We didn’t give up when we were behind. It was a well-rounded, unblemished performance. I think we deserved the win.

“We defended well, with a compact block … They took the lead with a penalty but up front our players were very effective. They could have been a bit more accurate, but they generated a lot of chances with mobility, teamwork and individual quality.

“I always say to the Spanish journalists, defending is a team problem. We were a team that defended well. Four defenders who never played together, they played a good game because the team worked really well defensively altogether.

“We feel calm and happy. We did well in the first half of this tie. We have taken a small advantage. We have to continue like this in the second leg. The match went well.

The Italian manager has urged his players not to be complacent ahead of the second leg.

Ancelotti said: “The result is a trick result. You’ve won, it can make you lower your arms, believe that you don’t have to come back and we can’t fall into that trap.

“You have to prepare well, as we did today, with the same focus, quality and sacrifice, just like tonight, which was a great performance.

“Now is when the season starts for real and despite the difficulty we faced playing at a very hard place to visit we were able to earn a very good result.”

Meanwhile, Man City’s Pep Guardiola was frustrated with the result after his team surrendered a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2.

He said: “It’s the fourth time we played in a row against Madrid here and in the three previous we were much, much better than them but today was tight and in certain times they had chances and Ederson was our best player.

“Sometimes it happens that a team is better and the result doesn’t work.

“I think they started well for 15 minutes and after we took the game and we were really good with the ball.

“In the second half, we could not make the passes that we needed to play. We wanted to attack so quickly but when we attack so quick with the strikers that they have it’s more difficult.

“After it was 2-1 but it happened too much this season. In many games it happened, against Feyernoord, Sporting Lisbon, Brentford in the Premier League Man United, many games we gave away.

“We have to look at ourselves and at this level it’s so difficult. It’s not the first time unfortunately it happened many times and that’s why it’s so difficult.”

Pep also pointed to the fact that there was much to admire about so much of his side’s play.

“I always give credit to the opponent for the quality that they have. But when you arrive at the end it’s tough.

“It happens many times and for the players it’s difficult.

“I think about how they suffered, because they did everything, but we are not able to be solid with decision making in certain moments.”

It was a dominant performance from Real Madrid with 20 shots, eight on target to City’s four.

The second leg is slated for February 19, at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Manchester City will be hoping for an immediate response when they take on Newcastle United on Saturday, while Real Madrid will hope to build on the win against Osasuna on the same day.

‘Complete Performance’ – Ancelotti Hails Real Madrid For Beating Man City is first published on The Whistler Newspaper