Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has told his players to ‘wake up’ following their 2-1 La Liga loss at Real Betis.
Los Blancos got the ball rolling on a busy weekend of action in the Spanish top-flight as former star Isco netted the winner from the penalty spot at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Defeat in Andalucia was a setback for Ancelotti and rivals Atletico Madrid made it worse later that night with a late 1-0 home win over Athletic Club.
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Victory for Diego Simeone’s team lifts them back above Real Madrid at the top of La Liga – but the title race could take another twist this evening – if Barcelona win at home to Real Sociedad.
A low-key performance and zero points on the road is not ideal preparation for Real Madrid ahead of facing Atletico Madrid in their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal on March 4.
Two league defeats – and two draws – since the start of 2025 has dented Real Madrid ability to put some distance between themselves and their title rivals and Ancelotti wants an immediate improvement.
What did Carlo Ancelotti say after Real Betis vs. Real Madrid?
Ancelotti was firm in his post-match assessment and stated his squad will be swept aside by Atletico Madrid without a quick response.
“If we play like this again on Tuesday, we won’t win; hopefully this wakes us up,” as per quotes from Diario AS.
“Let it be a lesson for the next game. In recent games, we were more organized and compact, but that was not the case against Betis.
“We started well, but we were not able to maintain that initial rhythm, in terms of attitude and commitment. We lost control of the match against a team that played better and deserved to win.”
Ancelotti also confirmed Kylian Mbappe was only replaced late on as a precaution following dental surgery last week.
The two league clashes between Ancelotti and Simeone this season have both ended as 1-1 draws and Real Madrid have not won a league game against their city rivals since 2022.
However, the key head-to-head historical record in European competition clears lies with Real Madrid, as they have ended Simeone’s Champions League dream on four previous occasions including final wins in 2014 and 2016.
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