Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed his satisfaction with his team's performance and resilience during their La Liga encounter against Espanyol on Saturday. The match saw Real Madrid stage a remarkable comeback, winning 4-1 despite conceding an early goal due to a rare mistake by their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Ancelotti commended his players for their composure under pressure, as they controlled the game, securing the victory with goals from Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, and Kylian Mbappe, which effectively canceled out Courtois' own-goal in the second half.
"We performed well, with good combinations, even though not everything went perfectly, we kept pushing," Ancelotti shared during a press conference. "In the second half, with the game wide open... it's a situation that suits us. It's evident, tonight was rock & roll. We began well and responded effectively after going down 0-1. It was a comprehensive performance." Ancelotti further noted, "We played better than in previous matches; with more rhythm and creating more opportunities. It was a solid game. Defensively, the recovery was strong, as was the pressure after conceding. We emerged with a positive momentum, gradually returning to our best form. I am pleased."
Real Madrid remains unbeaten in La Liga for almost a year, a streak that Ancelotti attributes to the team's consistent performance, despite dealing with numerous injuries and players not yet at their peak form. "We have now extended our unbeaten run to 38 games, which indicates that we are performing exceptionally well," Ancelotti stated. "However, this season has a notable aspect: we only scored one goal in the first half. It's something we need to address." Ancelotti mentioned discussing this issue with the players before the game, aiming to alter this trend. Although they couldn't change it immediately, they played with increased intensity.
Real Madrid will host Alaves on Tuesday before facing local rivals Atletico Madrid in a highly anticipated Spanish capital derby next weekend.
