Real Madrid Ready for Battle Against Barcelona, Says Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti promises Real Madrid will put up a good fight against Barcelona in the upcoming El Clásico, despite a four-point deficit.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is determined to lead his team in a fierce battle against league leaders Barcelona in the upcoming El Clásico. After securing a 3-2 win over Celta Vigo, Real Madrid trails Barcelona by four points with four games remaining.

👔 @MrAncelotti: "We did very well for an hour."
📺 Press conference ➡️ RM Play

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) May 4, 2025

Barcelona has been in excellent form, remaining unbeaten in their last 15 league matches and defeating Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time to win the Copa del Rey last weekend. Despite this, Ancelotti expressed confidence in his team's chances. “We're going to prepare well, we're going to put up a good fight,” he said. "It's not going to be decisive but it's almost there.”

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti attributed his team's struggle to hold onto a 3-0 lead to injury-related absences, particularly among defenders. Celta Vigo capitalized on Real's vulnerabilities, scoring twice within seven minutes to mount pressure.

Ancelotti acknowledged the challenges but emphasized the importance of the win. “You have to bear in mind that there were six defenders missing and we are not always able to fix these things. Yes, we could have handled it better, we suffered a bit but it's a nice win,” he said.

Ancelotti also provided an update on forward Rodrygo, who missed the Celta Vigo match due to a fever. With a week to recover, Rodrygo is expected to be fit for the crucial El Clásico against Barcelona.