PALMA, Spain: Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti was disappointed with his defensive display in a 1-1 draw at Mallorca in La Liga’s opening game.
Ancelotti said his players lost focus after taking the lead through Rodrygo in the 13th minute but were conceded by Vedat Muriqi’s header in the second half.
“Today I’m not happy. I think we should have done better. We need to focus more, work as a team.
“It’s not a fitness problem, it’s a mental problem. I don’t want to make excuses. We have to do better and show the right attitude.
“A lot can be learned from this game, it’s a game that clearly shows where our problems are,” Ancelotti said.
Ancelotti said he wanted his defense to be more disciplined in a system that puts four attacking players such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham up front.
“We started well, leading the game and had chances to add a goal, but in the second half we lost our balance.
“We probably lost because there was no balance. It was not a good game. We focused on attack and balance in defense was very important.
“We struggled to win the ball, press the opposition when we lose the ball. When it comes to defence, it’s about the commitment of the whole team.
“Equilibrium will only exist if the players think the same thing. When we need to win the ball, we have to think about it together.
“It’s a problem for everyone, not just strikers, midfielders or defenders. It’s a problem for teams that don’t understand this is an important aspect of the game,” he said.