Carlo Ancelotti Highlights What Real Madrid Are Lacking After More Dropped Points
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti lamented his side’s lack of efficiency after more La Liga points were dropped in the 0-0 draw with Real Betis.
The gap between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the top of the table now stands at nine points, after the Catalan giants edged to a 1-0 win over Valencia despite Ronald Araujo’s second half red card.
Real Madrid recently tore Liverpool apart in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie at Anfield – beating Jurgen Klopp’s side 5-2 – but they have worryingly taken just eight points from a possible 18 in their last six La Liga outings.
The reigning champions of Europe have failed to score in three of those games and another blank was drawn on Sunday as Real Betis blunted Los Blancos’ attack, leaving Ancelotti with plenty to chew over in his post-match press conference.
“It was an open game, we wanted to do it that way. The truth is that we lacked efficiency up front,” the Italian conceded.
“Not so much in the last 30 minutes, where control was constant. In the first half the game was more open, there could be more solutions there to create chances. But right now we lack efficiency, we dribble one more, shot less, pass one more, too many walls…This has cost us not scoring in the last three games.
“We had three or four chances, very clear. The data is quite evident, one goal only from set pieces.”
Asked whether he was angry with Real’s inability to find the breakthrough, Ancelotti added: “I am affected more than angry. This affects us, a team like this quality cannot go three games without scoring a goal. It affects me a lot, the players are also affected because we have the quality to score goals as we have always done. I think the problem It’s there, a little more efficiency.”
Next up is a clash with Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu before Liverpool come calling four days later looking to achieve the seemingly impossible Champions League comeback.
