Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted that his team did not play soccer in the first half of the Spanish Super Cup final, which they lost 5-2 to bitter rival FC Barcelona on Sunday. The match saw a strong start from Kylian Mbappe, who scored the opening goal inside five minutes. However, Los Blancos trailed 4-1 by halftime after two goals from Raphinha.
Rodrygo pulled one back with a converted free kick after Barca goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off for raising his studs at Mbappe. Despite being down to 10 men, Ancelotti’s side was unable to capitalize on the deficit and ultimately lost the match.
In a post-match press conference, Ancelotti expressed disappointment with his team’s performance, stating that they failed to defend well and did not work collectively or individually. He also criticized his team for not playing football from the first minute to the last.
The Italian coach emphasized that he is “hurt about the whole game” and told his players that they should have tried to play football instead of relying on long balls. Ancelotti praised his players’ effort, but ultimately conceded defeat.
Madrid will look to bounce back in their next match against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey on Thursday.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2025/01/12/ancelotti-slams-real-madrid-for-not-playing-soccer-after-fc-barcelona-super-cup-final-thrashing