Ancelotti Under Fire as Real Madrid Stumble Against Atletico

As Real Madrid faced Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium, they carried the tag of slight favorites, having won all six of their previous games. In contrast, Diego Simeone’s Atletico had recently suffered a demoralizing 3-0 loss to Valencia and managed just a 1-1 draw against Lazio in the Champions League.

However, this weekend told a different story. Atletico Madrid emerged victorious with a 3-1 scoreline against their crosstown rivals, and Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid side never truly looked competitive.

The hosts, Atletico Madrid, took an early lead with Alvaro Morata finding the net in the 4th minute, swiftly followed by Antoine Griezmann doubling their advantage. Real Madrid managed to pull one back courtesy of Toni Kroos, but the Spanish national team captain secured his brace right at the start of the second half, leaving Real Madrid with an insurmountable deficit.

In the wake of this defeat, Ancelotti has come under heavy criticism from Real Madrid fans, with many expressing their discontent on Twitter.

Real Madrid roster isn't excellent and Carlo Ancelotti is not the type of coach who can thrive and squeeze and maximize the talent in such context.

Simple.
— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) September 24, 2023

Btw if the Madrid derby was replayed after 3 days, Ancelotti would make the same mistakes all over again. That's the type of manager he is.
— Rk (@RkFutbol) September 24, 2023

This one is on Ancelotti and no one else, we are completely lost with this lineup…

How do you not start Tchouameni in this game??
— Noodle Vini (@vini_ball) September 24, 2023

While it’s natural to point fingers at the manager after such a significant loss, it’s also crucial to consider the predicament that the Italian manager finds himself in. Ancelotti faces a severe shortage of options in most positions on the pitch, forcing him to rely consistently on the same players to deliver strong performances week after week. When things don’t go according to plan, the question arises: who does he have on the bench capable of turning the match around?

The lack of squad depth has been a known issue among most Real Madrid fans, exacerbated by the absence of key players such as Vinicius Jr, Thibaut Courtois, and Eder Militao.

However, this doesn’t absolve Ancelotti from criticism, particularly regarding his selection for the Atletico Madrid clash. The starting XI left many fans puzzled, with the inclusion of five midfielders seemingly aimed at controlling the game. To compensate for playing one less forward, he omitted defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

In truth, experimenting so extensively in a high-pressure game may not have been necessary. While Real Madrid’s recent performances left much to be desired, they were still winning and hadn’t conceded more than one goal in any of their previous six matches this season.