Ancelotti offered his insights on Real's defeat in the 1/8 finals of the Copa del Rey

On the 18th of January, a clash unfolded in the 1/8 finals of the Spanish Cup between the Madrid rivals, Atletico and Real. Regular time concluded with a scoreline of 2-2. In extra time, the mattress-makers found the net twice, seizing victory with a 4-2 triumph.

Following the encounter, the head coach of the Whites, Carlo Ancelotti, commented on the defeat of his charges:

"We exerted every ounce of our strength, and I have no reproach for the players. This was a derby, and it unfolded as all derbies do.

Vinicius found it challenging to play in the first half, but in the second, he played a pivotal role, consistently threatening the opponent's goal and delivering an excellent performance. I don't wish to scrutinize the actions of individual players. With the score tied, we could have better controlled the game. There was no need to force the situation in certain instances – it's a folly of youth.

Real found themselves in a less advantageous position than Atletico because they had a week to prepare for the game. However, our team fought and didn't appear fatigued. I didn't feel that we lagged in terms of physicality during extra time.

We defensively perform soundly in La Liga, but in cup competitions, it's less secure. Atletico scores many goals, especially on their home turf. We conceded, but we also scored a lot against Atletico," - quoted Carlo Ancelotti by Marca.

Match highlights of Atletico vs. Real - 4:2