Real Madrid-Arsenal: Carlo Ancelotti believes in the comeback!

Italian Carlo Ancelotti (65 years old), coach of Real Madrid, believes his team is capable of pulling off a comeback next Wednesday, after the heavy 3-0 defeat against Arsenal in the first leg of the quarter-finals, held at the Emirates Stadium.

The defending champions indeed suffered a surprising and unexpected defeat on Tuesday night, losing by three goals to nil. English midfielder Declan Rice scored a brace from direct free kicks in the 58th and 70th minutes, while Spaniard Mikel Merino added a third goal in the 75th.

Ancelotti remains confident before the return leg

Speaking to the television channel after the match, Ancelotti said: "During the first hour, the team played well. We struggled in the latter part of the game. It's a harsh defeat, especially because of what we failed to accomplish in the second half, despite having a good first half."

He continued: "Our biggest mistake was losing our concentration after the break. We couldn't respond after the second goal, which greatly impacted our performance. The team was well organized until that point, but that goal changed everything."

He added: "The team collapsed mentally and couldn't respond. The match was balanced until that second goal; after that, we completely lost control."

And concluded: "Now, we have to work hard and sacrifice. We need to be united, as we have been on many occasions. We know it will be difficult, but we must give everything from the first to the last minute."

It's worth noting that the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea coach has already won the Champions League five times: twice with AC Milan (2003 and 2007), then three times with Real Madrid (2014, 2022, and 2024).

Read also: Wesley Sneijder downplays Rice's unlikely brace against Real!

Mohamed Rek |

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Mohamed Rek- sports content writer with over 10 years of experience creating football content in Arabic and French for platforms such as Foot Africa and Starafrica, combining accuracy, creativity, and audience engagement.