Ancelotti laments Real’s weak defence

PSG coach, Carlo Ancelotti

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti feels his squad is lacking defensively, despite conceding just one goal in each of their last four games.

Real sit third in La Liga and have lost just once this season, a 1-0 defeat to rivals Atletico Madrid.

However, rather than being worried about losing attacking players such as Mesut Ozil to Arsenal, Ancelotti believes that his side must improve on their defensive record after conceding eight goals in all competitions this term.

“I’m very happy with the squad. I said ‘good luck’ to Ozil,” he explained.

“I think we don’t need Ozil because we have very good players up front.

“That’s not the problem, we are scoring plenty of goals. The problem was the balance. We are conceding too many, for a team such as Real Madrid to concede eight goals is too much, so the problem is there.”

Real travel to Levante on Saturday but will be without world-record signing Gareth Bale, with the winger suffering from a thigh injury.

The Wales international was called up for his national side on Thursday but he will not feature in either of the qualifiers against Macedonia or Belgium.

Ancelotti expects Bale to remain with Real to work on his recovery and suggested that he could return for the club’s home tie against Malaga.

“I think he (Bale) stays here to train the next 15 days,” Ancelotti continued.

“It’s true we should co-operate with Wales but I think he will stay here the next 15 days and will be ready for the following match.

Ancelotti also explained Bale’s frustration, with the 24-year-old yet to complete 90 minutes for his new side.

“He isn’t happy, it’s normal,” he said.

“He was very excited and looking forward to play and went through a difficult moment but it isn’t bad from a psychological point of view.

“When a player wants to play and he doesn’t it is difficult, but he is alright psychologically speaking. He is calm because it’s not that bad, it’s a little problem he will forget very soon.”