Football
ESPN staff 10y

Ancelotti: Real didn't deserve to lose

Carlo Ancelotti insists Real Madrid still has what it takes to win La Liga after a 2-1 loss at Sevilla.

#INSERT type:image caption:Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid suffered their second straight loss on Wednesday. END#

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A Cristiano Ronaldo opener was not enough for Real, as Carlos Bacca scored for Sevilla five minutes later before netting the winner midway through the second half.

Ancelotti said the result was not a fair representation of Real's play on Wednesday.

"I don't think we deserved to lose," said Ancelotti. On the one hand we could have because we didn't prepare well for Sevilla's counter-attacks and that is how they scored both goals. We took the lead and could have scored more goals. Then they scored two goals in the same way when we needed more balance."

Ancelotti said Sunday's loss to Barcelona did not have an impact on Wednesday's defeat.

"I don't think the defeat affected us," the Real manager said. "Before everything was going well and now we have arrived here. Now we need to react with everyone's character and personality. The league is more complicated and all the matches will be important."

Real Madrid's second straight defeat kept them on 70 points, three behind leaders Atletico Madrid and two behind Barcelona. All three contenders have eight league games remaining.

"Now La Liga is more complicated because we are behind," Ancelotti said. "It's more complicated but not impossible."

Ancelotti also dismissed questions that Real can't compete against big teams. Ancelotti's men took just one point from Barcelona and Atletico in this season's matches.

"It's not a problem," he said. "The team has lost against smaller teams (as well). La Liga is complicated and it has strong teams and every match is difficult. We have to think about ourselves. We lost two matches but we have to believe we can win it. We are behind but we have to believe it is possible."

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