Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in the 26th round of the 2022–23 La Liga competition has left Carlo Ancelotti with some difficult questions to answer. The loss has enabled Barcelona to extend their lead at the top of the table to twelve points, and it has been widely accepted that Madrid have little chance of catching up at this stage....CONTINUE READING
The first question Ancelotti needs to answer is why he has been so reliant on Karim Benzema in attack. While Benzema has been in excellent form, Madrid may be too dependent on him, and it could be argued that Ancelotti has not done enough to find alternative sources of goals.
The second question Ancelotti needs to answer is why he chose to leave Rodrygo Goes out of the starting XI. The young Brazilian has been in impressive form this season, and it was a surprise that he did not start the game against Barcelona. It could be argued that his presence in the team could have provided an extra attacking threat that Madrid desperately needed.
The third question Ancelotti needs to answer is why he chose such conservative tactics. Madrid have traditionally been known for their attacking approach, yet they appeared to lack any real ambition in their recent game against Barcelona. It could be argued that Ancelotti could have been more proactive in his approach and that a more adventurous strategy could have yielded better results.
It will be interesting to see how Ancelotti responds to these questions and whether he can find a way to turn around Madrid’s fortunes. With the team now twelve points behind Barcelona, it may be too late to catch up, but Ancelotti will still be keen to ensure that his team can finish the season strongly.
