Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has hit back at the local press in the Spanish capital, claiming that their criticism of him has been too harsh. The Italian manager has come in for heavy criticism of late, with some even questioning whether he will continue until the end of the season.
The second question from the press set the tone for the press conference.
“It’s normal because the team is not showing it’s best version, it’s criticism I have to accept, and as always happens in football, the manager is the one most responsible. That said, I think you are taking too many shots at me. Maybe you are tired of me. But I am not tired of this job. The criticism is acceptable, and I understand, also it’s worth noting that the stress can also be fuel for a reaction.”
Ancelotti assured that while the criticism was natural, there was no need to write off the season just yet.
“It’s normal, it’s not a funeral, we’re still in the fight. We have to have optimism that we can solve the problems that we have had. We have a good squad with quality. So we have to be optimists.”
Carlo Ancelotti🗣️
"We have not been able to show our best version, but I'm convinced that we will sooner or later. My level of concern is medium."#RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/C7ts60ko54
— Football España (@footballespana_) December 6, 2024
The most interesting part of the press conference was when he was asked whether some of those shots at him in the media were justified.
“Your shots? You’re the one taking shots? Because sometimes I read them. I read the criticism sometimes, and I note the journalist but I am not able to connect the journalist’s name with their face, so I need the press to give me a list of their names and their faces,” he said laughing.
“As I said, when there is criticism, there has to be some truth behind it. Now if you’re asking me which shots annoy me most, some yes, some do annoy me,” Ancelotti explained, more serious.
“It affects, sometimes, your identity. Because I don’t mind when it’s I made a bad change, a bad line-up, that affects the professional side.”
“But when it affects your identity, what you are, who you are, it’s what annoys me. It’s the difference between saying you’ve said something stupid, or you’re stupid. It’s different.”
One of the criticisms that was put directly to him was that his message was not getting through to the players, and that he was struggling to find a way of motivating a side that is coming off a La Liga and Champions League double.
“Well, it’s difficult to detect the problem in a simple way. The fact is that we have not been able to show our best version, for many reasons, but as I said, I have a very good relationship with the group, with my players. We have the same intentions, to get the best results and turn this around.”