Carlo Ancelotti Explains Why His Last Season At Real Madrid Ended In Failure Despite Mbappe, Vinicius Jr & Bellingham

Carlo Ancelotti has opened up about why his final season at Real Madrid ended in disappointment, even after the blockbuster signing of Kylian Mbappe. Speaking from Brazil, the legendary coach highlighted a defensive injury crisis that reshaped his team’s structure and derailed Los Blancos’ campaign, which ultimately ended without a major trophy.

Why Ancelotti Believes His Final Madrid Season Collapsed

Ancelotti’s last season at Madrid didn’t go as planned. After lifting La Liga and the Champions League in 2024, and with Mbappe joining a star-studded squad featuring Vinícius Jr and Jude Bellingham, expectations were sky-high. Instead, Real finished four points behind Barcelona in La Liga and exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage, leading to Ancelotti being replaced by Xabi Alonso.

In an interview with AS, Ancelotti explained that a series of defensive injuries forced him to improvise tactically. Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao were sidelined with ACL injuries, while Antonio Rudiger played through serious pain. These setbacks destabilized Madrid’s defensive backbone, creating a domino effect across the pitch, disrupting rotations, midfield balance, and overall team rhythm.

“We Lost Our Entire Starting Defence” – Ancelotti Breaks Down The Failure

The veteran coach elaborated on the real reasons behind Madrid’s struggles:

“What happened was that we lost our entire starting defence. We lost Carvajal and Militao, and Rudiger played with a serious injury. Luckily, Raul Asensio came up from the youth academy and did very well. Many times I had to play Valverde at right-back and Tchouameni at centre-back, which left the midfield with significant absences. We lost solidity at the back, and that cost us titles.”

Ancelotti also dismissed the idea that Toni Kroos’ departure was a major factor:

“I don’t think it was because of Kroos, because we adapted to playing with Camavinga, Ceballos, Bellingham, Tchouameni, or Valverde. We have great midfielders, but finding another Kroos or Modric is impossible.”

Brazil Beckoned After Madrid Exit

After leaving Madrid, the 66-year-old accepted the role of Brazil national team coach, a position he admits he never imagined.

“Thinking about going to another club was difficult because of the legacy I left at Madrid. But then Brazil called, and it became a great challenge and a dream to prepare for a World Cup with the five-time champion team. Besides, being the national coach is different. I really enjoy what I’m doing. At Real Madrid, there was brutal daily pressure… six press conferences a week. Brazil is under pressure too, but it’s a more relaxed job, more about observation than intervention. I try to learn every day about Brazilian football and its culture. I live in Rio as much as possible and enjoy the city. Now I have time to observe calmly the players and the structure of Brazilian football.”

Ancelotti’s reflections show that even the best coaches face unpredictable challenges, and sometimes, injuries and circumstance can outweigh talent on paper. His insights provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at the complexities of managing a top club like Real Madrid, and now, the excitement continues as he applies his legendary coaching mind to Brazil’s national team.