Carlo Ancelotti Speaks On Arsenal’s Win, His Future At Real Madrid

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that his squad fell short in their efforts to overcome a significant deficit in the Champions League quarter-finals against Arsenal.

Heading into the second leg of the tie on Wednesday evening, Los Blancos were trailing 3-0, following a disappointing performance in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium where they were thoroughly outplayed by Mikel Arteta’s side.

In the second leg of the tie, the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu was tense as fans held on to a glimmer of hope for a potential comeback.

In a dramatic second half, Bukayo Saka extended Arsenal’s lead, putting the Gunners ahead 4-0 on aggregate. However, Vinicius Junior managed to level the score for Real Madrid in the 78th minute, momentarily reigniting hopes of a comeback.

Just as it seemed Los Blancos might build on this momentum, Gabriel Martinelli dashed down the wing and scored a heartbreaking goal for Arsenal in the dying moments of the match, sealing a 2-1 victory for the North London club and a comprehensive 5-1 win on aggregate.

Despite earlier discussions among the Madrid faithful about a potential ‘remontada’—the Spanish term for a remarkable comeback—Ancelotti reflected on the defeat with a sombre tone, admitting, “The team tried, but we weren’t able to change things around. Arsenal deserve to advance.”

He further elaborated on the contrasting emotions experienced in football: “There are two sides to the game—the happy side that we have enjoyed for so many years, and now it’s our turn to face the sad side. We’ve come a long way over the years, and we need to regroup. Let’s see what happens next year.”

Following the disappointing exit from the Champions League, speculation about Carlo Ancelotti’s job security intensified, particularly with Real Madrid also grappling with inconsistencies in La Liga as they strive to defend their title.

When asked about his future beyond the current season, Ancelotti responded, “My future? I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.

“Will I be the manager in the Club World Cup? I can’t speak to you about this now.

“If the club decides to change, no problem, I’ll thank them.”