Ancelotti hinted that Real lost to Barca because of VAR
In the 81st minute, when the score was 1-1, Dani Carvajal put the ball into the penalty area from the right wing for the substitute striker Marco Asensio to cushion the left foot to the near corner, making Ter Stegen stuck. But VAR stepped in, drew and determined the shoulder of the Spanish striker was below Jules Kounde, thereby denying the goal.
This missed goal is considered a turning point for Real's defeat. In the second minute of compensation, Alejandro Balde crossed to the left and stretched for Franck Kessie to cushion the corner near the reach of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, sealing a 2-1 victory.
After the match, Ancelotti doubted the lines determining VAR's offside. "I'm not sure if it was offside," he said. "If VAR does it right, fine. But we will return to Madrid with doubts. At the 2022 World Cup, everything is clearer with semi-automatic offside technology."
The Italian coach admitted that Real lost "heart and soul" in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, but deserved to win at Camp Nou yesterday. According to Ancelotti, Real played well, the match was balanced and decided by small details.
In fact, Real lost in the first half despite taking the lead thanks to Ronald Araujo's counter-kick. The royal team held the ball 48%, finishing twice with one shot on target - compared to Barca's 9 and 5. However, Ancelotti did not make any changes after the break and only started using his substitution rights from the 62nd minute. When asked why he didn't make a substitution earlier for Real to improve attack, Ancelotti replied: "I think Real Madrid played well in the first half, and it would be absurd to make a substitution after the break. We made substitutions, but the plan didn't change, just the personnel."
According to Ancelotti, Ferland Mendy was brought on for Nacho because the Spain defender had received a yellow card, and Rodrygo replaced Toni Kroos to attack more. In the 76th minute, he brought Aurelien Tchouameni, Dani Ceballos and Asensio on to the field for more energy. The Italian coach stressed that he was pleased with the changes he made in the second half, and the impact of these players.
The result at Camp Nou yesterday made Real let Barca widen the gap to 12 points. "It's simple, because Barca are more stable than Real this season," Ancelotti said of the gap between the two teams. "Real did not play well in January, right after the 2022 World Cup. Now Real are playing better and I think we will end the season well."
The 63-year-old coach said Real will not give up and fight to defend the La Liga title until the end of the season. He is also confident that the home team will win at least one title, with a rematch with Barca in the second leg of the King's Cup on April 5. In addition, the royal team will meet Chelsea in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
