Carlo Ancelotti reacts to Real Madrid’s Champions League exit

Real Madrid endured another difficult match in the 2024-25 season as they were dumped out of the Champions League by Arsenal on Wednesday. The Premier League side won 2-1 in the second leg of the quarter-final tie, which ensured a 5-1 aggregate victory for them.

There had been hopes that Real Madrid could complete another Champions League comeback, but in the end, it never came close to coming to fruition. As per Diario AS, a dejected Carlo Ancelotti spoke to Movistar to assess the match – and also the tie as a whole.

“We have to be honest, in the two games Arsenal have deserved it and have reached the semi-finals. There are two sides to football, the happy part that has happened to us many times and the sad part we have to handle in the same way. It has happened to us fewer times than to other teams but we have to manage it because it allows us to be better in the next games.

“To change the dynamic we needed something positive, like the penalty he whistled and then took off. We needed something to have more confidence, but we were not able to change the dynamic of the first leg. The tie was decided in the first leg.”

Ancelotti also chose to be positive around the remainder of the season, which sees Real Madrid still in two competitions – as well as the Club World Cup, which takes place this summer.

“Now we are in the fight for La Liga. We have a disadvantage but we have the Barcelona game, we have the Copa del Rey final, the Club World Cup and we have to manage this part, which is another part of football that we are not used to. But it exists. It’s time to hold our heads high and then learn from our mistakes.”