MADRID, March 9 (Reuters) – Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti brushed off a lacklustre performance by his side in their 2-1 LaLiga win over Rayo Vallecano on Sunday and said it was mission accomplished after they took three valuable points in the title race.
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr scored in the first half to give Real the win, but their neighbours Rayo made things difficult with a goal by Pedro Diaz just before the break.
Only one point separates Spain’s three biggest clubs in one of the closest title races in recent years with Barcelona leading the pack on 57 points, ahead of second-placed Real on goal difference with Atletico Madrid in third on 56 points after a 2-1 loss at Getafe earlier on Sunday.
“The feeling is good, because the objective was to win,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
“The first half was very good, it could have ended 3-0 or even more but we missed a few chances and they found the 2-1 that made the second half a bit more complicated, although we also had a lot of chances…
“But when you’re 2-1 up in the 75th minute, what you have to do is avoid problems and defend well. I understand that people didn’t like it, but we have to take into account the busy schedule we are facing, also playing in the Champions League and Copa del Rey…
“It’s very difficult to prepare for all those games and maintain the same intensity for 90 minutes.”
Ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie at rivals Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, following a 2-1 win in the first, Ancelotti said that he was hopeful his goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and defender Antonio Ruediger should be OK after missing Sunday’s match with minor issues.
“Thibaut (Courtois) has a small problem but I think he will be recovered just fine for Wednesday, hopefully Ruediger can recover from the illness he is suffering, a flu,” Ancelotti said.
“The team is looking fine and players look fresh, considering the calendar. If we play on Wednesday like we did in the first half today, we have a good chance of going through.”
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Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Toby Davis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Fernando is a Brazilian national who joined Reuters in 2021 after spending a decade in Madrid working for some of the world’s biggest sports media. As a multi-media journalist, he has covered everything from Olympics, World Cups and Champions League finals to Super Bowls and UFC fights for over 20 years. He is a sports commentator and analyst for DAZN, for Brazilian television group Globo and for Spain’s Radio Marca, as well as a regular guest in sports programs in Spanish, English and Portuguese. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from Madrid Autonomous University (UAM) and EL PAIS.
