Sports Correspondent

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has acknowledged that his team’s mental attitude was lacking in the second half of their Champions League quarter-final match against Arsenal. The Premier League side secured a convincing 3-0 victory in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium, leaving Real Madrid facing a tough challenge to progress.

Ancelotti provided his assessment of the match in a post-game interview with Movistar, praising his team’s performance for the first hour. However, he admitted that they struggled to cope with Arsenal’s set pieces, which ultimately led to their downfall.

“We didn’t have a good attitude,” Ancelotti said, highlighting the mental errors that cost his team dearly. “For an hour the team was good, and then we paid dearly for their two goals from set pieces. Mentally, we didn’t have a good attitude in the second half.”

The defeat leaves Real Madrid staring down the barrel of failing to defend their Champions League title and potentially missing out on a record 16th win. Ancelotti’s comments suggest that his team needs to work on their mental toughness and resilience if they are to mount a successful comeback in the second leg.