Carlo Ancelotti Slams Officiating Following Real Madrid El Clasico Loss To FC Barcelona

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has slammed the officiating in Sunday’s installment of El Clasico, which his team lost 2-1 to FC Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Madrid went ahead early thanks to shock own goal from Ronald Araujo. Though Barca equalized on the stroke of the half time whistle thanks to Sergi Roberto, the visitors from the capital could have easily taken a point home despite Franck Kessie’s late winner.

This was because Marco Asensio had a goal cancelled approaching full time. After VAR ruled the effort out for offside, though, Kessie stole the headlines and arguably sealed the La Liga title in the process with his stoppage time strike.

Ancelotti attended the post-match press conference clearly angered by the outcome, and said that his men travel back to the Spanish capital with “doubts” over what could have been.

“I am left with doubts, [and] surely there is nothing [in the call],” Ancelotti claimed.

“Today we can’t have any doubts about the match we played. We honestly didn’t deserve the defeat.

“I don’t know, really,” Ancelotti continued. “In the World Cup the offsides were very clear, but here I am left with doubts.”

Ancelotti also stated that the November-December FIFA tournament has “cost us a lot” in terms of injuries and tired legs.

“Now we are doing very well. I think we are going to finish the season well,” he predicted, before concluding: “What is certain is that we are going to fight.”

With Madrid 12 points behind in the title race, however, it is not arrogant for Barca or their fans to start counting their chickens before they have hatched.

Granted there are 12 matches left to play too, but it seems difficult to believe that this Blaugrana defense will leak the goals needed to squander such a lead.

While they are still in Champions League, where they face Chelsea in the quarterfinals a week later, Madrid can save face domestically by knocking Barca out of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on April 5.

As the Catalans boast a 1-0 advantage from the first leg, however, and also have a home field advantage, it will be no easy task to eliminate an outfit high on confidence who they have lost their last three meetings to.