Carlo Ancelotti talks Vinicius, half-time changes and second leg expectations after Man City 2-3 Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid took a crucial step in their bid to reach the Round of 16 stage in the UEFA Champions League, as they secured a 3-2 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad.

It was a hard-fought win for Los Blancos, who had to rely on a late winner from Jude Bellingham to secure the victory, despite creating countless goalscoring opportunities.

Speaking to the media after the game, Carlo Ancelotti offered his thoughts on the win while laying out the details of what to expect heading into the second leg.

What Ancelotti said after Man City win

“Calm, happy, we played well in the first half of this tie. We took a small lead. We have to continue like this in the return match. The match went well,” Ancelotti said after the game (h/t Diario AS).

Talking about Real Madrid’s performance on the night, the Italian added, “I think it was a complete match in every aspect. Everyone worked hard. We had a lot of opportunities. We didn’t give up because of the disadvantage. It was a very complete match.”

As mentioned earlier, Real Madrid were able to create countless goalscoring opportunities on the night, but were not very clinical in the final third.

“I think the victory is deserved. They took the lead with the penalty, but up front, all four of them were very effective. They could have been a little more accurate, but they created a lot with mobility and quality,” he said.

With five goals scored on the night, it was certainly an entertaining treat for the fans at Etihad. However, Ancelotti refused to admit that it was the best game in the Champions League so far.

“I don’t think so, it was a good match, I expected it to be. It was a complete match for the team, on an offensive level, we had doubts about whether we could have balance and we have seen that it is possible, if there is a good dose of sacrifice,” he said.

Ancelotti was happy with Real Madrid’s performance against Man City (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

When asked whether or not Real Madrid could have won by a higher margin for better security, Ancelotti said such a tie cannot be decided in just one outing.

“I don’t think we could have decided this here. We have to play another match, we have taken a small lead, it was a very good match. We must be happy. We had many opportunities.

“City played well in attack, they created problems for us. We must prepare well for the return leg, taking into account that a match like this strengthens you for what is to come,” he said.

Ancelotti also hailed the defensive shift put in by his team, adding, “Defending is not an individual problem, it’s a group problem. We had to be a team, be together, the team worked especially well defensively.”

As for Real Madrid’s game plan, Ancelotti revealed, “The plan was to press high only at the start, when Ederson brought it in, and then to be in a compact, medium block, without going crazy, with the forwards well closed inside, so that the midfielders stayed further back. And with the ball, width and not frustrating ourselves with long passes.”

Despite Real Madrid’s win, though, the Spanish giants were actually trailing at half-time, no thanks to a goal from Erling Haaland early on in the proceedings.

Ancelotti explained the changes that were made at half-time, stating, “We fixed two things, we didn’t react well to pressure on a few occasions. On one of those occasions they scored on us. In the rest of the things, we didn’t change anything with the ball.

Bellingham’s late goal ensured a win for Real Madrid (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

“Vini and Rodrygo stayed out and created a lot of danger. And I told them to stay calm, it’s the first half of the tie, we shouldn’t go crazy.”

Speaking of Vinicius, Ancelotti was asked about a controversial banner from Manchester City fans, directly referencing to Rodri’s Ballon d’Or triumph last year.

“I don’t know if he’s seen it. Watching his game, it’s been a motivation for him. He’s always been very dangerous,” he replied.

Finally, Ancelotti talked about the second line and what we can expect from Real Madrid, who will only be needing a draw to advance to the Round of 16 stage.

“The result is a trick result. You won, it can make you give up, because you can’t come back, but you have to prepare well, as we did today, with the same quality and sacrifice. Like tonight,” Ancelotti concluded.