Ancelotti rallies Madrid as limp defeats rattle fans
The Guardian|November 07, 2024
Milan loss serves as a sharp wake-up call for listless team, with Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé struggling
Sid Lowe
Ancelotti rallies Madrid as limp defeats rattle fans

The reality is what was seen on the pitch," Carlo Ancelotti said, and what was seen on the pitch wasn't good. In fact, it was awful. So bad that fans of the club who have made miracles their thing left early, whistling as they went. The only surprise was that they didn't whip out the white hankies. Real Madrid were 3-1 down to Milan, who had won once away from San Siro all season, and defeat was as inevitable as it was deserved. Repeated too: in 11 days here Ancelotti's team had lost as many times as in the whole of last season anywhere.

First Barcelona came to the Santiago Bernabéu and scored four, now Milan had got three. Madrid hadn't conceded so many back-to-back at home for 15 years - and the shock was that it had happened so recently. Nor was it just that they had been beaten, it was how they had been beaten: there was an indolence that irritated supporters, a weakness, disorientation and individualism that made Milan's job almost shockingly easy. Madrid hadn't shown up, a bit like for the Ballon d'Or. You might be tempted to call it a system failure, only there was no sign of a system, and after the luxury of 10 days to prepare.

"There's no excuse," Andriy Lunin said. At the beginning of his post-match interview, about as much as the Ukrainian keeper could manage was to sigh: "Pffff..." And even the greeting stuck in his throat. "I can't say 'good evening'," he said. But for him, it would have been more than three, which was bad enough.

"We have to be worried," Ancelotti admitted. "We're lacking something." Something? Right now, Madrid were - are - lacking almost everything. Thibaut Courtois and Dani Carvajal, for a start. But although injured absentees are important, although the line between success and failure is often fine and Madrid have a happy habit of falling on the right side of it, they do not explain this, still less justify it.

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FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE GUARDIANSe alt
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The Guardian

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2 mins  |
November 27, 2024
The Guardian

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1 min  |
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The Guardian

Slot says contract dispute may be bringing best out of Salah

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2 mins  |
November 27, 2024
Saka leads Arsenal's charge to blast away doubts on the road in Europe
The Guardian

Saka leads Arsenal's charge to blast away doubts on the road in Europe

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3 mins  |
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City stunned by late fightback as Guardiola's winless run goes on
The Guardian

City stunned by late fightback as Guardiola's winless run goes on

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3 mins  |
November 27, 2024
Kerr breaks new ground coaching men at Hearts
The Guardian

Kerr breaks new ground coaching men at Hearts

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1 min  |
November 27, 2024
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The Guardian

'He's a cool cat' Special Bethell ready to pounce on Test debut

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3 mins  |
November 27, 2024
West Brom deny Isidor and hold out for draw
The Guardian

West Brom deny Isidor and hold out for draw

Sunderland extended their unbeaten run to 10 games but, as the smattering of gentle boos that greeted the final whistle testified, it was most certainly not a cause for celebration on Wearside.

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2 mins  |
November 27, 2024
George in the groove and ready to rock for England
The Guardian

George in the groove and ready to rock for England

Manchester United left-back was never going to let rehab end her dream and hopes for a Wembley bow against USA

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November 27, 2024