´Everything was pretty bad´ – Madrid boss Ancelotti makes no excuses after shock defeat at Lille

Real Madrid must accept any criticism that comes their way after their Champions League defeat to Lille, so says Carlo Ancelotti.

Jonathan David’s penalty in first-half stoppage time proved decisive as the Ligue 1 side triumphed 1-0 at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Madrid defeated Stuttgart in their opening match, but despite having six shots on target and mustering 2.09 expected goals (xG) to Lille’s 1.29, Los Blancos were far from deserving a positive result in Ancelotti’s eyes.

“Everything was pretty bad. We did badly with the ball, although the team was quite compact in the first half, it was difficult for us to recover the ball, it was difficult for us to make transitions,” Ancelotti told reporters, having seen his side suffer their first defeat in the Champions League since May 2023 against Manchester City and their first in the group stages since October 2022 against RB Leipzig.

@MrAncelotti: “It wasn’t a good night, we have to improve and that’s all.”#UCL pic.twitter.com/PHzDkMSiFU

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) October 2, 2024

“We tried to be a little more aggressive, but it was difficult for us. So, we have to look at things with a cool head, not throw everything away. But obviously we have to improve.

“I am very sincere. The criticism for [this] game is fair, correct and we have to accept it because it is like that. We have not shown a good version in this game.”

Ancelotti said Lille “deserved” to win despite Madrid’s improved showing in the second half.

“It was difficult for us to get into the game at the level of intensity, at the level of duels, at the level of clarity of play,” the Italian added.

“Obviously, the game could have been tied because we had opportunities at the end, but it wasn’t deserved.

“So we have to learn, as it happened the last time we lost a game, learn from what we have to improve, which is quite clear. I think it’s not very complicated.”

Madrid have failed to win three successive away games in the Champions League (D2 L1) for the first time since November 2016 (D3 L1).