Champions League: Real Madrid’s Collapse, Spanish Media and Fans Turn Against Ancelotti

Rome, April 9 (LaPresse) – Four Champions League titles (including the "Decima") aren’t enough to guarantee eternal gratitude for Carlo Ancelotti, who has found himself in the crosshairs of the Spanish press and fans after Real Madrid’s debacle against Arsenal in the first leg of the quarterfinals of Europe’s top competition. In an analysis following the loss, El Mundo Deportivo writes: "The Real Madrid fanbase saves no one for the debacle, starting with Ancelotti, then the players, and ending with Florentino Pérez." The same Spanish newspaper speculates about a rift between the team and the Italian coach, publishing a video from the night at the Emirates where Ancelotti is seen arguing with Bellingham and Camavinga on the sidelines. "There has been much talk this season of a possible break between the players, or some of them, and Carlo Ancelotti, and given what happened at the Emirates, it could be true," adds El Mundo Deportivo. The incident is also mentioned by Marca, which states that Bellingham and Camavinga's faces "say it all." The English player "went to the locker room at halftime visibly angry; Madrid’s plan lacked ideas," says Marca. "I know two of their goals were free kicks, but they could have scored many more," Bellingham later commented. According to Marca, "Nothing worked on the field, neither the plans to break Arteta’s defensive structure nor the tactical setup to try to contain the opponents’ total football." As in its match commentary speaks of a Madrid missing the midfield trio of Modric, Kroos, and Casemiro. "Nights like the one at the Emirates bring nostalgia for a trio that brought so much joy to Madrid and its fans over seven magical seasons, with no sign yet of who might usher in a new era," writes As.