In Video: “European referees are better, I'm more comfortable with them” | Ancelotti on La Liga refereeing

Carlo Ancelotti Dismisses Pep Guardiola’s Champions League Claim Ahead of Real Madrid’s Second Leg Tie

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has downplayed Manchester City’s chances of overturning a 3-2 deficit in the Champions League playoff, saying that his team will focus on playing the same game that brought them success in the first leg. The Italian coach was pressed on Pep Guardiola’s claim that Manchester City have a 1% chance of progressing to the next round, but Ancelotti disagreed, saying that his team has a "small advantage" that they must take advantage of.

However, the press conference was dominated by another topic: the controversy surrounding Rafael Bellingham and the relationship between Real Madrid and Spanish match officials. Bellingham was sent off in La Liga over the weekend for using foul and abusive language towards a match official, a decision that sparked a heated debate about the integrity of match officials in Spain. Ancelotti was questioned about the matter, and supported Bellingham’s claim that the incident was a "misunderstanding".

The controversy has been brewing since last month’s game between Real Madrid and Espanol, when the clubs clashed over refereeing decisions. The tension has led to a letter from Real Madrid to the Spanish authorities, questioning the integrity of match officials in La Liga. La Liga president, Javier Tebas, has since fired back at Real Madrid, and the debate has been further fuelled by the appointment of European referees for the Champions League playoff.

The drama surrounding the Bellingham incident has led to a renewed focus on the relationship between Real Madrid and match officials in Spain, with Ancelotti suggesting that the attention from European referees may be beneficial for his team. "In recent games, there have been many decisions that we simply don’t understand," he said. "It’s possible that the European referee will have a different perspective, and we will try to play the same game that we played in the first leg and get the same result."

As for the team news, Real Madrid will be boosted by the return of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, who both trained with the team today. Despite being without several key defenders in the first leg, Real Madrid’s patched-up defense impressed, and the return of Rudiger and Alaba will surely bolster their chances of progressing to the next round. Lucas Vazquez, however, may not be available, with Ancelotti suggesting that tomorrow’s game may be too soon for his recovery.

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