Real Madrid's Struggles Exposed: Ancelotti's Assistant Reveals the Complex Problems Behind Recent Setbacks
Davide Ancelotti, who serves as assistant coach and is the son of former Real Madrid manager Carlo, offered a straightforward analysis of why the Spanish and European title holders were unable to retain either championship during the 2024–25 season.
The Ancelotti duo guided a successful 2023–24 season, securing both La Liga and the Champions League in an impressive double victory that is uncommon even for Real Madrid. This achievement had only been accomplished twice previously in the Spanish capital's history.
Nevertheless, despite bringing in Kylian Mbappé during the summer transfer window, Madrid was eliminated in the Champions League quarterfinals and ended up finishing well behind Barcelona in La Liga, with their rivals also defeating them in two additional domestic cup finals.
"The season presented numerous challenges," Davide Ancelotti commented in an extensive interview with MARCA. The Italian assistant attributed these difficulties to "unforeseen complications arising from player injuries."
Both Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão suffered ACL tears before the winter period, while David Alaba spent most of the season attempting to return from his own severe knee problem. The roster of players who experienced fitness troubles far exceeded those who managed to stay healthy throughout the campaign.
"Dani's setback was particularly difficult," Ancelotti acknowledged. "He represents a crucial player, not just in matches, but because of his daily competitive spirit during practice sessions. Militão's injury also reduced our defensive options.
"Additionally, as my father mentioned throughout the season, we lacked the steady performance that would have enabled us to compete at Barcelona's level, who played exceptionally well and deserve recognition for their achievements."
Although Mbappé joined the squad, the 2024 summer transfer period witnessed Toni Kroos's retirement, a departure that Ancelotti described as having "enormous" significance. "The gap Kroos created was comparable to those left by Sergio Ramos, Cristiano [Ronaldo], or Casemiro when they departed," Ancelotti Jr. emphasized.
"Toni represents an exceptional player in Real Madrid's legacy and football history overall. I believe he's an extremely rare type of player to discover. Players of his caliber or [Luka] Modrić's contribute significantly because they demonstrate leadership and communicate messages that coaching staff find challenging to express.
"Toni's exit represented a massive setback, but everyone understood his departure was inevitable, and his replacement is the world's most gifted player in terms of ability. There are no regrets about the previous season, honestly. For me, this experience has been like a film, a fantasy come true."
Numerous observers highlighted the difficulties of incorporating Mbappé during the previous season. The prolific French striker had a record-setting first campaign, but his influence on teammates like Vinicius Junior or Jude Bellingham might not have been entirely beneficial. Ancelotti refused to criticize Mbappé.
"Handling gifted players has never presented difficulties," he responded dismissively. "My father has consistently managed these situations effectively. Mbappé is an extremely pleasant individual, very approachable, and simple to work with. Therefore, if you're asking me, I would say absolutely not, we haven't encountered any management-related issues."