It was a night to forget for Real Madrid as they succumbed to a 4-0 defeat to FC Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night.
There have been questions asked about the reigning champions’ performances this season but they have managed to get results and keep pushing.
But the capitulation in the second half against Barça yesterday calls for some serious introspection from Carlo Ancelotti and his players.
Disappointment but no drastic changes
Following the game, long faces and tense expressions dominated the directors’ box immediately after the match, reports MARCA.
The current Real Madrid setup is unaccustomed to defeats of this magnitude, and the blow has landed heavily on both management and coaching staff.
Following his usual routine, club president Florentino Perez descended to the dressing room, where he encountered a disappointed team with a spirit as dampened as his own.
A thorough analysis of the defeat will come in due course, but sources within the club emphasise there is no sense of crisis and there will be no drastic or dramatic decisions taken in light of what happened last night.
However, while the team’s credit remains intact and unquestioned, those at the club also recognise that a strong response is essential.
The season’s rocky start under Ancelotti has only been further highlighted by this Barcelona defeat. The manager knows an immediate reaction is imperative, beginning with Tuesday’s scheduled training session.
With no games scheduled until next weekend, Real Madrid will look to forget last night’s harrowing defeat and bounce back strongly when they take on Valencia on November 2.