Ancelotti refuses to blame star midfielder for costly mistake in Athletic Club loss – ‘It happens’

Real Madrid’s recent defeat against Athletic Club proved to be a disappointing result for the team.

However, manager Carlo Ancelotti stepped in to shield his players from criticism during his post-match press conference.

Ancelotti chose to focus on the performance of Federico Valverde, who played a pivotal role in Athletic Club’s second goal.

The Uruguayan midfielder made a costly error, but the manager was quick to defend him, emphasising that mistakes are a natural part of football.

Ancelotti urged the team and fans to focus on their upcoming matches rather than dwelling on the setback.

“Fede (Valverde), like Kylian, is sad and disappointed. He made a mistake, but Fede should not be touched. He’s a great player. Mistakes are made in football, you have to look at the next game,” said the manager.

The press conference also touched upon a controversial moment in the match involving Rodrygo. The Brazilian forward was brought down in the box, prompting a VAR review for a potential penalty.

Ancelotti admitted he had not seen the play clearly and refrained from commenting extensively. He simply noted that the referee decided against awarding the penalty after reviewing the situation, leaving the decision final.

“I didn’t see the play. It seemed that they were looking at the offside, then the penalty. He called him to see the situation and decided not to give a penalty.”

Thoughts about the match
Reflecting on the match, Ancelotti highlighted that Real Madrid’s intensity improved after Athletic Club took the lead.