Real Madrid ensured that they picked up a perfect win record in this season’s Champions League group stages after defeating Union Berlin 3-2 at the Olympic Stadium. Los Blancos had gone behind in Berlin, before goals from Joselu Mato (x2) and Dani Ceballos ensured the victory.
Speaking after the match to Movistar+ (via Marca), head coach Carlo Ancelotti described the encounter as “strange”, an assessment that most spectators will probably have agreed with.
“It was a bit of a strange game. We controlled it well for 40 minutes and in two crazy minutes they made the game difficult for us. In the second half we tried to be a little more effective, we tried to cross more because we have a very good player in the air. He scored two goals with headers, and we hadn’t done that in the first half. When you have a striker like Joselu, you have to try more crosses.”
Federico Valverde was taken off at half time for Real Madrid, which sparked fears of another injury. However, Ancelotti calmed everyone down at full time, as he revealed that the substitution was pre-planned.
“It was planned.”
Real Madrid can now look ahead of the Champions League last 16 draw, although their attention will now be on their next match, which is against Villarreal this weekend.
