Three days after their 4-0 defeat against Manchester City, which resulted in their elimination from the Champions League semi finals, Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid came to the defense of Karim Benzema, who was criticized after the match at the Etihad Stadium.
Ancelotti stated in a pre-match press conference ahead of the league game against Valencia: “There is no sense in doubting Karim Benzema. He can have a bad game; that can happen, but he hasn’t been the only one. Karim remains a very important player and a legend at this club. If he doesn’t succeed in a match, it’s okay. On Wednesday, we didn’t succeed as a team, not just Karim.”
The coach also evaluated the season so far, acknowledging that the last game was very poor and that everyone is disappointed about it. Despite their dissatisfaction with the league’s performance, he highlighted their achievements in the Copa del Rey and their competitiveness in the Champions League until the very end.
Regarding the plans for the upcoming season, Ancelotti mentioned that it’s still too early to discuss them and that they are in discussions with the club. He expressed that they are evaluating what happened in the last match, this season, and the previous two seasons. He emphasized that it’s not the right time or place to reveal the ongoing conversations.
Regarding his future and the interest of the Brazilian Football Confederation in hiring him as the next coach of the Brazilian national team, Ancelotti reaffirmed that he has a contract with Real Madrid until June 30, 2024, and he intends to fulfill that contract.