"We Didn't Deserve To Lose Against Betis" - Carlo Ancelotti Accepts Real Madrid's Defeat

Carlo Ancelotti did not hold back in his assessment of Real Madrid’s performance following their disappointing 2-1 defeat to Real Betis at the Benito Villamarín Stadium. The Italian manager admitted, “We deserved to lose, we didn’t play at our level.”

Real Madrid had initially taken the lead in the 10th minute through Brahim Díaz, but Betis responded with an equalizer from Johnny Cardoso before former Madrid midfielder Isco sealed the victory with a second-half penalty. Reflecting on his team’s display, Ancelotti acknowledged Betis’ superiority, stating, “They were better than us. We started well, but we couldn’t maintain our rhythm.”

With an important UEFA Champions League clash against Atlético Madrid approaching, Ancelotti warned that a repeat of this performance would be costly. “If we play like this against Atlético, we will not win.”

The manager emphasized the need for immediate improvement, stressing that his team must show more commitment and intensity in upcoming fixtures.  

Ancelotti also addressed the substitution of Kylian Mbappé, explaining that the forward had been dealing with a dental issue that affected his training and match fitness. This defeat leaves Real Madrid level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga, with their rivals having a game in hand, while Atlético Madrid remains just one point behind.