CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Carlo Ancelotti discusses why Real Madrid played badly against RB Leipzig and tax fraud accusations
Madrid joined Manchester City, PSG and Bayern in the Champions League quarterfinals but Ancelotti wasn’t happy with his team’s performance against Leipzig.
Real Madrid have joined Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City in the 2023-24 Champions League quarterfinals but only just sneaked past RB Leipzig in the round of 16. After winning 1-0 in Germany three weeks ago, Los Blancos hung for a draw at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, leaving head coach Carlo Ancelotti far from impressed with his team’s performance.
As well as discussing the game in a flash interview at full-time, the Italian also played down reports which surfaced earlier on Wednesday that Spanish prosecutors were seeking a prison sentence for him due to alleged tax fraud.
What did Carlo Ancelotti say after Real Madrid’s UCL draw against Leipzig?
Assessment of the 90 minutes: “We didn’t play well. We didn’t play with enough intensity or care. The psychological element was a big factor. We were playing against opponents that have quality and nothing to lose. And we played with the brakes on from the beginning. We came under pressure, but the important thing is that we’re in the quarterfinals.”
Game plan and half-time change: “Yes, the plan was to press more using our With energy. In reality, we played at too slow a pace. We played with a low block, too slowly, with not enough directness. There was too much sideways passing. It wasn’t the best night. We have to admit we were at fault. Sometimes it can happen in the Champions League. It happened at home against Chelsea in 2022. We were never close to being eliminated.”
Current form: “The mental side of things was important. Leipzig tried everything, they are a good team. We have to calmly evaluate what happened. At this point in the season, we are seven points clear at the top in the league and we are in the quarterfinals (in the Champions League). You have to be self-critical, but not too much.”
Prosecutor’s Office: “There’s nothing going on there. It’s an old story, from 2015. The Prosecutor’s Office thinks that I was a Spanish resident and I don’t. The money is already with the Prosecutor’s Office. Now the lawyer is looking for a solution. I don’t think I was a resident in Spain in 2015 and they do. Let’s see what the judge says.”