MADRID (AP) — A day after a crushing last-minute loss to Benfica in the Champions League, Real Madrid recognizes it needs to improve and turns its focus back to La Liga.
Coach and players were on the same page after he left the club in the first round of the Champions League, taking responsibility for a poor performance and lack of attitude following a 4-2 defeat against Lisbon.
Kylian Mbappé, who scored Madrid’s two goals on Wednesday to take his Champions League record to 13, said: “The game starts from the 0th minute, not the 45th, so in the end we deserved to lose.” He added: “We can’t say we didn’t deserve it because we didn’t play well to win this game. They did. Benfica at home is always difficult. It was our fault.”
Mbappe said the team didn’t seem to be taking the game as seriously as they should have. Goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin scored Benfica’s fourth goal. last momentThis gave the Portuguese side the goal difference they needed to advance to the top 24. Madrid would have only needed a draw, but the loss automatically deprived them of a top-eight spot in the round of 16.
“Benfica were playing for their lives and we didn’t look like we were playing for ourselves,” Mbappe said. “That was the big problem in this game. Both teams had something to play for at the start, we were in the top eight and they were in the top 24. We saw how Benfica played, but we didn’t see what was at stake.”
Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said he was unable to convey to his players the importance of this match for Benfica.
“I told the players, but I didn’t know how to communicate what I wanted them to do on the field,” Arbeloa said. “When things don’t go well, when the team is far from the level we gave them, the responsibility for that is always absolutely on me.”
major matches
Real Madrid host city rivals Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. Madrid have won five consecutive games in La Liga, closing the gap on leaders Barcelona to just one point. Rajo have suffered three consecutive losses in all competitions and are in 16th place, close to the relegation zone.
Barcelona, who bounced back to secure a top-eight Champions League spot with a 4-1 win over Copenhagen on Wednesday, visit mid-table Elche on Saturday.
Third place Atlético Madrid will play penultimate side Levante on the same day, while fourth place Villarreal will play ninth place Osasuna.
In Sunday’s Basque derby, Real Sociedad, who have won three consecutive league games, will visit Athletic Bilbao.
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Barcelona remained without injured midfielders Pedri and Gabi against Elche, but Madrid could have Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold back for the match against Rayo. Villarreal will be without defender Juan Foyth, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon in the previous match.
off the field
The Spanish league is Start offering €50 ($59) per confirmed tip for locations broadcasting matches without proper authorization.
Bars, restaurants, gambling dens, and similar establishments must subscribe to certain packages in order to be able to show games. The league says these broadcasts will feature identifying text in the corner of the screen, allowing fans to tell whether the broadcast is legal or illegal.
If you become aware that a facility is broadcasting unauthorized broadcasts, you can email the images to La Liga so we can review the violation.
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