Real Madrid Coach Ancelotti Calls Lille Loss ‘Wake Up Call’ As Unbeaten Record Ends

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti called Wednesday's Champions League loss to Lille, which ended a 36-match unbeaten record, a "wake up call".

Defending champions Los Blancos were unable to respond to a converted penalty from Jonathan David on the stroke of half time, and were therefore defeated 1-0 in the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Reacting to the slip up, Ancelotti admitted that the hosts "played better" than his men.

"It was difficult for us to get into the game. We only had chances at the end and with crosses. The team wasn't good. It's nothing, [we need to] learn from defeat and improve. Sometimes losing is helpful. It's a very long season, and we have to improve. It seemed like we were doing it, but today we went back a bit," he also confessed.

The Italian said that while defensively his side "were quite good", it lacked intensity and "lost a lot of duels".

"There was order in the first half, but we lost the duels and it was difficult for us to take control, to get into the game."

Regarding the changes he made to the starting line up, Ancelotti explained that he was looking to play "a little more on the outside" while trying to break Lille's defensive line.

"But it was very difficult, we rarely generated clear chances - only that one from Endrick... and that's it, until the end.

MORE FOR YOU
One Of The Best TV Shows Ever Made Lands On Netflix Today
Who Won The VP Debate Last Night? Here’s What Snap Polls And Betting Markets Say.
New Critical Password Warning—86% Of All Router Users Need To Act Now

"[We played] without clarity in the game, only with fight, aerial balls. We could score, of course, but without playing well. It suits us. It's a wake up call. Self-criticism is good for improvement."

Ancelotti did not want to use a tough Madrid derby against crosstown rivals Atleti at the weekend as an excuse for coming up short on French soil.

"Oh, no," he said when this was put to him. "We played worse than the opponent. Football is not always fair, and sometimes you have to realise that if they play better than you, you don't win."

Now turning its attention back towards La Liga, Madrid will look to get back on track by hopefully beating Villarreal in the Bernabeu on Saturday.