Ancelotti: We Defeated City With Real Madrid DNA

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid's Spanish coach, admitted that his team was forced to retreat in the back lines too much, in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Manchester City, due to the English team's playing style in controlling and rotating the ball, especially on the Etihad Stadium. Carlo Ancelotti believes that the traditions and character of the Royal Club in the Champions League played a decisive role in the team’s qualification for the semi-finals to face Bayern Munich, as it had a strong impact, especially when resorting to penalty kicks after a 4-4 tie in the two-legged aggregate. Real Madrid won on penalties 3-4 at the Etihad Stadium, after a positive 1-1 draw in regular and extra time of the second leg, which was held on Wednesday evening, noting that the first leg ended in a 3-3 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu last weekend. Carlo Ancelotti told the Spanish channel Movistar, "We won against Manchester City thanks to Real Madrid's character and DNA. Do not think that Real Madrid is dying, this team does not die." He added, "We retreated a little too much during the match, but we knew how to suffer and how to sacrifice. We defended very well, and this slogan makes you want to do something different." The Italian coach acknowledged the difficulty of defeating Manchester City on his home field, as the team has developed significantly under the leadership of its Spanish coach, Pep Guardiola, in the last 3 years since qualifying for the 2021 final when it lost 1-0 to Chelsea. Ancelotti explained his speech, "You cannot achieve victory at Manchester City Stadium except in the way we followed. I am pleased with the victory, and happy with the sportsmanship that Pep Guardiola displayed. After the match ended, he came to us to congratulate him and wish us success in the next match. He is a truly wonderful man." . At the end of his speech, Ancelotti expressed his admiration for the technical level presented by German international defender Antonio Rudiger, who scored the decisive kick, saying, "I am surprised by Rudiger's level."