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Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti defended his tactical choices when Real Madrid lost 4-0 at home to Barcelona and insisted it was ‘an off night, nothing more. We mustn’t make a drama out of it.’
El Clasico is always a huge fixture in the calendar for world football, let alone Spanish, and the Merengues had bragging rights so far this season.
However, they were hammered 4-0 at home by their arch-rivals with a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brace, Ronald Araujo and Ferran Torres on target.
Barcelona break El Clasico losing streak with 4-0 Real Madrid win
“The result and performance were not good. We suffered a lot, tried to start with a high press, but Barcelona found spaces, controlled possession and it was a difficult night,” Ancelotti told DAZN Italia.
Karim Benzema was out injured and sorely missed, but the Italian coach has been bitterly criticised in the Spanish media for using Luka Modric as a False 9.
“I don’t think it was a lack of a reference point, we could’ve kept the ball better with Modric’s position. The problem was that we couldn’t get the ball back the way we wanted to and when we went behind it became even more difficult.
“It was an off night. Nothing more.”
Real Madrid remain nine points clear at the top of LaLiga, followed by Sevilla, while Barcelona are 12 points behind with a game in hand.
“We have a big advantage. The important thing is not to make a drama out of it. We’ve got the break for international duty, will hope to get players back from injury that we were missing this evening.”
Finally, Ancelotti was asked if he is keeping an eye on Serie A and pleased to see his old club Milan at the top of the table.
“Naturally, I am a Milanista.”
