La Liga 2024-25: Real’s Ancelotti hopes Betis defeat is wake-up call for Champions League

La Liga 2024-25: Real’s Ancelotti hopes Betis defeat is wake-up call for Champions League

Real Madrid must raise its game ahead of the Champions League Round of 16, coach Carlo Ancelotti warned after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Real Betis, calling the loss a “heavy blow” to his side’s La Liga title hopes.

Madrid missed a chance to top La Liga, remaining level on 54 points with leader Barcelona and one point ahead of third-placed Atletico Madrid, with both having a game in hand.

Ancelotti criticised his team’s poor performance at the Benito Villamarin stadium and said a similar display at home to Atletico in Tuesday’s Champions League first leg could prove costly.

“This is a heavy blow – we have to bounce back. Losing at this point in the season is tough because everyone is in form, and we didn’t do well in this game,” the Italian told reporters.

“We lost 27 balls in the first half, and Betis got back into the game. If we play like this, we certainly won’t win on Tuesday.

“I hope this serves as a wake-up call. It seemed that lately we were more organised, more compact, and today we weren’t able to do it like in the previous games.”

Ancelotti explained his decision to bring on Endrick for the team’s top scorer, Kylian Mbappe in the closing stages of the game, saying the French forward had been unable to fully train due to a dental issue.

“(Mbappe) had a problem this week and didn’t train much and wasn’t at his best level,” he said.

“To avoid problems, I took him off and put Endrick on, who has been in good form,” Ancelotti added of the Brazilian teenager.

Madrid hosts Rayo Vallecano in La Liga next Sunday after its Champions League clash against Atletico.