Ancelotti worried about Real Madrid’s lack of goals

Since thrashing Liverpool 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League 16 tie, Real has scored only once in their following three matches in all competitions.

Real Madrid’s head coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures during the Spanish La Liga match between Real Betis and Real Madrid. | Photo Credit: Jose Breton/AP

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti raised concerns over the team’s lack of urgency in front of goal following a 0-0 draw with Real Betis in LaLiga on Sunday.

Since thrashing Liverpool 5-2 in the first leg of their Champions League 16 tie, Real has scored only once in their following three matches in all competitions.

It is also without a win since beating Liverpool, having drawn 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the league and losing 1-0 to Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

“I’m upset more than angry. It’s strange we’re not scoring,” Ancelotti told reporters. “It’s not normal that a team with this much quality didn’t score more than one goal in the last three games. It does upset me, a lot.

“The players are also disappointed because we’ve got the quality to score and we’ve always done it. I think our attack is a problem right now. We need to be more clinical and deliver more.”

The goalless draw did little to enhance Real’s prospects of catching Barcelona in the LaLiga title race, with Ancelotti’s team nine points behind its arch-rivals after 24 games.

Asked if Real is out of the title race, Ancelotti said: “No, no. The gap is big. We’ll work this week, we have a whole week to work. We need to keep fighting until the end. There are lots of games to be played but we need to improve.” Real host Espanyol in the league on Saturday.