"This team has something special" - Carlo Ancelotti hails Real Madrid players after Villarreal win
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti heaped his players after their 2-1 win over Villarreal on Saturday, March 15, in LaLiga. He lauded their character and commitment as Los Blancos secured their first win at El Madrigal since 2017.
Juan Foyth opened the scoring for Villarreal in the seventh minute, finishing from close range as the ball fell to him after a corner. Kylian Mbappe restored parity in the 17th minute, scoring after Brahim Diaz's shot was deflected into his path. The Frenchman scored the winner for the visitors six minutes later with an excellent finish from the edge of the box.
After the game, Carlo Ancelotti heaped praise on Real Madrid players, saying (via Madrid Universal):
“This team has something special. Character, and commitment, but they can’t always do it. We have to thank these players for their tremendous effort."
He added:
“I’m very proud of this team in a tricky match due to the strength of the opponent, and we held our own physically. The team was exhausted at the end, and it’s a victory that speaks volumes for this team.”
With the win, Real Madrid moved to the top of the table. However, Barcelona in second place are just three points behind with two games in hand.
Carlo Ancelotti assesses Real Madrid's performance against Villarreal
Vinicius Jr. and Antonio Rudiger started on the bench against Villarreal after a gruelling UEFA Champions League Round of 16 win over Atletico Madrid midweek. However, Real Madrid still came out 2-1 winners thanks to a brace from Kylian Mbappe.
Los Blancos had 55% possession with nine attempts on goal with five being on target. Meanwhile, Villarreal had a whopping 23 attempts with 10 being on target as Thibaut Courtois made some excellent saves. Assessing his side's performance after the game, Carlo Ancelotti said (via Managing Madrid):
"The team was able to withstand the difficult moments, which were present in the first half of both halves. Then, little by little, we started to control the ball better and looked for opportunities. We had two goals from Mbappé, and some counterattacks that could have been better in the second half.”
Real Madrid could go into the international break atop the LaLiga table with Atletico Madrid set to face Barcelona on Sunday. If Barca fail to win at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Los Blancos will remain at the top.
