Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has refused to criticise the club over their squad planning this season. The Italian manager is notorious for keeping things positive in public, and maintaining good relations with his employers, and on Sunday evening, he maintained the p
After the departure of Karim Benzema, who despite being hampered by injury all last season still scored 31 goals, only Joselu Mato was brought into replace him. While Joselu was the third-top scorer in La Liga last season, Ancelotti had been asking for an alternative to Benzema for some time, and Joselu was supposed by many to be that when he arrived on loan.
Even though Ancelotti has converted Jude Bellingham into a top-class goalscorer so far, it looks a mammoth task to replace Benzema’s goals with just Joselu and Bellingham. Asked about Real Madrid’s first game without scoring this season, Ancelotti told Marca that he was not concerned at any rate.
“I’m not worried, we have tried in many ways… but it hasn’t worked out. Anyone who knows this world knows that this can happen. The important thing is to believe it until the end…”
The Italian was then quizzed about the fact that Real Madrid appear to be so dependent on Bellingham – in the four games he has not scored in, Los Blancos have failed to win on three occasions. Ancelotti was stubborn over the quality at his disposal though.
“No, we have a lot of resources. We have created plenty with Valverde, Joselu, Rodrygo… we lacked a little accuracy.”
Ancelotti knows well that making public demands of President Florentino Perez, or explaining his side’s issues through their squad planning, is unlikely to serve him too well. The only area that more perhaps could be asked of Ancelotti in terms of production is finding a way to get Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior scoring again. Neither of the Brazilian duo have looked the same without Benzema in the side, and although Vinicius did suffer an injury, their production has been reduced compared to this time last season.
