Ancelotti refuses to blame star midfielder for costly mistake in Athletic Club loss – ‘It happens’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s recent defeat against Athletic Club proved to be a disappointing result for the team.

However, manager Carlo Ancelotti stepped in to shield his players from criticism during his post-match press conference.

Ancelotti chose to focus on the performance of Federico Valverde, who played a pivotal role in Athletic Club’s second goal.

The Uruguayan midfielder made a costly error, but the manager was quick to defend him, emphasising that mistakes are a natural part of football.

Ancelotti urged the team and fans to focus on their upcoming matches rather than dwelling on the setback.

“Fede (Valverde), like Kylian, is sad and disappointed. He made a mistake, but Fede should not be touched. He’s a great player. Mistakes are made in football, you have to look at the next game,” said the manager.

On potential penalty

Federico Valverde made a costly error against Athletic Club. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The press conference also touched upon a controversial moment in the match involving Rodrygo. The Brazilian forward was brought down in the box, prompting a VAR review for a potential penalty.

Ancelotti admitted he had not seen the play clearly and refrained from commenting extensively. He simply noted that the referee decided against awarding the penalty after reviewing the situation, leaving the decision final.

“I didn’t see the play. It seemed that they were looking at the offside, then the penalty. He called him to see the situation and decided not to give a penalty.”

Thoughts about the match

Reflecting on the match, Ancelotti highlighted that Real Madrid’s intensity improved after Athletic Club took the lead.

Carlo Ancelotti says Real Madrid are still in the title race. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The team showed determination to equalise, and there was a belief that they could secure a victory after drawing level. However, their efforts fell short, and the game slipped away from them.

“When Athletic took the lead we were more intense. You could have thought that after tying we could win,” he noted.

Despite the disappointment, the Italian manager remains optimistic about the team’s chances in LaLiga. Currently sitting four points behind Barcelona, who still have a game in hand, Real Madrid are determined to keep fighting for the title.

Ancelotti stressed that while the result against Athletic Club was not ideal, the team is still well-positioned to challenge their rivals as the season progresses.

“We’re still in the fight. We could have gotten a better result, but we are there,” he concluded.

Source: SPORT