Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti was pessimistic about securing direct qualification to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, despite his team\u2019s 3-2 victory over Atalanta in the sixth round.<\/p>
Real Madrid entered the match against the new Serie A leaders following two consecutive losses to AC Milan (1-3) and Liverpool (0-2), leaving them in a tough position in the new format of the competition, where 36 teams compete in a single group. The top eight teams qualify directly to the Round of 16, while teams ranked 9th to 24th enter a play-off to determine the other eight teams advancing to the next round.<\/p>
Ancelotti, after a match in which Real lost the services of their French international striker Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 following his opening goal, said, \u201cI don\u2019t know if we will make it into the top eight with 15 points, but our goal is to win the next two matches\u201d. Real will play against Austrian side Salzburg and the French team Brest, which currently sits in 5th place with four victories in their first-ever continental campaign.<\/p>
He added, \u201cWe played a complete game; we suffered, fought, and battled. Despite all the difficulties, it was a match of persistence, and we were very effective in the offensive side. We created a lot of chances with Vinicius, Bellingham, and Mbapp\u00e9, who all did a great job. In the end, we suffered, but we deserved the win.\u201d<\/p>
He admitted, \u201cIt was a tough match because Atalanta pushed us to give our best. The match ended well, and we are happy. It is an important victory, not just for the points but also mentally. If we reach the Christmas break in good shape, things will go well in the second half of the season.\u201d<\/p>
Busy Schedule<\/p>
The veteran coach also expressed frustration over the congested fixture schedule, as his team prepares for the Confederations Cup and Spanish Super Cup, in addition to the league, domestic cup, and Champions League. He said, \u201cWe now have to endure until the Christmas break,\u201d which includes three matches, including the Confederations Cup final scheduled for the 18th of this month in Doha.<\/p>
He continued, \u201cThe schedule is very demanding. Our team is small (due to injuries), which doesn\u2019t allow us to rotate players much. We have to endure right now. We lost two matches to strong teams (referring to Milan and Liverpool), but we never gave the impression of defeat. This win will help us a lot. This victory is like a breath of fresh air because it allows us to prepare well to continue our Champions League journey in January. I hope more players recover in the coming days.\u201d<\/p>
Atalanta\u2019s loss in Tuesday\u2019s match, which was a replay of the UEFA Super Cup where Real won 2-0 in August, marked their first defeat after a 14-match unbeaten run across all competitions.<\/p>
Atalanta had a golden opportunity to avoid defeat in the dying moments, but Matteo Retegui failed to capitalize on a ball in front of an empty net after a cross from Nigerian international Ademola Lookman. Atalanta\u2019s coach Gian Piero Gasperini commented, \u201cIt happened too quickly. A draw would have better reflected the balance of play, but losing in this way might hurt us more and push us to improve.\u201d<\/p>
He continued, \u201cThere is no luck involved in this loss or anything like that, which means we have to change some things to reach their level.\u201d<\/p>
Atalanta dropped to 9th place, the first position that qualifies for the play-off round, with 11 points after their first defeat. They may drop further depending on Wednesday\u2019s results. Gasperini\u2019s team will finish their campaign with matches against Sturm Graz and Barcelona.<\/p>
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