Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti backed his star player Kylian Mbappe and midfielder Fede Valverde after his team met a loss in La Liga to the Athletic Club. Madrid would have been at the top of the table if they had won the match, as the Whites are trailing Barcelona by just 1 point on the La Liga table.
In the match, the Athletic Club took the lead 8 minutes into the second half through Alejandro Berenguer Remiro. Madrid leveled in the 78th minute with a goal from Jude Bellingham. But Madrid’s relief only lasted for 2 minutes as a crucial mistake from Valverde cost them another goal, and this time, it was Gorka Guruzeta who found the net. Kylian Mbappe missed his second penalty in a single week, and thereby a golden opportunity to tie the match has gone away.
Carlo Ancelotti Backs Mbappe and Valverde
After the match, Ancelotti backed both of his players. He said that he has not spoken to Kylian after the match, and he doesn’t judge a player’s game based on a penalty miss.
“I haven’t spoken to him. It was a complicated match, evenly matched, fought, competed. When we equalized, we could have thought we were in control, and small details penalized us tonight. We missed the penalty… I don’t have to evaluate a player’s game because of a penalty that sometimes is scored and sometimes is missed. Obviously he’s sad, disappointed, but we have to keep going.”
Ancelotti on Fede Valverde
Ancelotti said that mistakes are normal in football and the player must not be crucified.
“The public is extraordinary. Fede, like Kylian, is sad and disappointed. He made a mistake, but we must not touch him. Fede is a great player. Mistakes are made in football, like everyone else. We have to look ahead to the next game.”
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