Madrid, Nov 6 (IANS): After Real Madrid’s 3-1 defeat to AC Milan, manager Carlo Ancelotti voiced serious concerns over his team’s performance, stating that they "have to be worried" about their current form.
Real Madrid’s recent struggle continued as they suffered a 3-1 defeat to AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu, marking a second consecutive home loss that has deepened concerns over their season trajectory.
Following a crushing 4-0 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico, Ancelotti's team has now fell nine points behind their rivals in La Liga and sit precariously in the Champions League, with only six points from their first four group-stage games.
"The reality is what we're seeing on the pitch and something is lacking. We have to fix it. It's going to be a long night, that's normal. We all have to think about how we can improve things and find that solidity we had for such a long time, and that we're lacking right now. We're struggling to find that solidity.
"We've conceded 9 goals in recent games and that's far too many for a team that has built its foundation on being solid," Ancelotti spoke to the press at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Milan beat Madrid for the first time in 15 years with a superb display at the Bernabeu. Malick Thiaw's thumping header from a corner gave the visitors the lead, but Madrid levelled through Vinicius Junior's dinked penalty.
Alvaro Morata restored Milan's advantage before half-time by reacting quickest to tuck in after Andriy Lunin parried Rafael Leão's effort. With Madrid pushing players forward, a devastating Rossoneri counterattack then ended with Leao squaring for Tijjani Reijnders to slam in and seal victory.
"There is a lot of criticism around the attitude and the training sessions at the moment. You have to accept people's opinions, but we have to focus on the reality, which is that we're not playing well and we want to do better because otherwise we won't be in the mix come the end of the season.
"We have to fix things and improve defensively because that's where the key lies. I have to try and find solutions to put out a more balanced, solid side, but without going too mad with lots of changes. A few small tactical details could change things," said Ancelotti.