The Italian coach wants to avoid overconfidence after the 2-3 victory at Etihad Stadium.
Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s coach, is clear about one thing: “In three days everything can change“. This phrase, said in 2021, remains relevant at every moment.
Madrid arrives at the second leg against Manchester City in the Champions League with the advantage of the 2-3 obtained in the first leg, but with doubts.
In the last matches, the Whites have only earned two points out of the last nine in La Liga, which has caused their lead over Atlético and Barcelona to evaporate.
The Memory of 2015: The Lesson Against Schalke
Ancelotti, who knows well how to manage expectations, has reminded his players of a key match from his first stint at the club.
It was in 2015, when Madrid reached the Champions League round of 16 with a 2-0 advantage over Schalke. Despite a good first leg, Madrid suffered an unexpected 3-4 defeat in the second leg. That elimination was marked by a disastrous home performance, something that Ancelotti has never forgotten.
The Italian knows what it means to defend a lead, something that hasn’t always gone well for Madrid in recent years. In the 2017-18 season, the team won 0-3 at Juventus, but struggled in the second leg.
In 2021-22, with Ancelotti back in charge, Madrid almost got eliminated against Chelsea after a 1-3 in the first leg. In the second leg, the London team leveled the score 0-3, but Rodrygo and Benzema saved the Whites.
The Importance of Caution: Avoiding Overconfidence
Ancelotti, aware of the importance of caution, has used these memories to warn the locker room of the danger of overconfidence. “We won’t go far like this,” he said after the disaster against Schalke in 2015, and it’s a lesson that remains present. Real Madrid must avoid relaxing against City and focus on securing the pass to the quarterfinals without taking anything for granted.
City’s return to Bernabéu will be a new opportunity for Ancelotti to apply his past lessons. The Italian coach knows that the Champions League is always unpredictable, and this match will be no exception. The key for Madrid will be to stay calm and remember that in soccer, everything can change in an instant.
