According to reports, Carlo Ancelotti stated, “I am not one to whip my players. I lost two key players, and this situation is natural. I had to use players out of position. These were clear messages from the Italian coach, who successfully managed a tough match against Athletic Bilbao.

A last-minute goal by Federico Valverde in the 92nd minute saved Ancelotti from further pressure and prevented Real Madrid from falling behind in the La Liga race. Real dominated Athletic Bilbao, controlled the game, and pushed hard for three points in the second half. The change in Real’s attack, with Endrick replacing Ceballos, was not accidental and brought more cohesion to the team.

The presence of the young Brazilian striker brought more order to the attack, freed Vinicius Jr., and allowed Jude Bellingham to penetrate the opponent’s box from deeper positions. Endrick’s movement in the box occupied the defenders, and Bellingham became a creative force. Bellingham had several clear chances and even a potential penalty was ignored.

Ancelotti said in the press conference: “This system worked very well for us last season. Today, Bellingham was excellent, especially in the second half when we attacked more and deserved to score.”

After Kylian Mbappe’s transfer saga and Ancelotti’s admission, the referees also disallowed a Vinicius goal due to Endrick’s offside position, a controversial decision. However, Real looked more fluid in attack with Vinicius’s relentless energy, and the role distribution seemed logical, although Rodrygo had another disappointing performance.

The Brazilian winger has scored only one goal in his last 21 games for Real and the national team. After the match, Ancelotti sent an unexpected message: “The 4-4-2 is my favorite system. I prefer it because we defend better, and it’s the best defensively.”

These remarks came as Mbappe was booed at the Bernabeu, and Real narrowly won a crucial match. Ancelotti added: “Playing 4-4-2 doesn’t necessarily mean using four midfielders. Sometimes Mbappe and Vinicius were the two strikers, and Bellingham played on the left, but it was still a 4-4-2. You can play this system with six midfielders or wingers who play centrally.”

The question is, why hasn’t Ancelotti insisted on this system in a season where he has repeatedly criticized his team’s defensive fragility?

The Strange Case of Ancelotti’s Dismissal

Ancelotti isn’t the only one pointing out this tactical flaw. Thibaut Courtois, a key dressing room figure, said after the Arsenal match: “I feel like we’re a team, but sometimes we need to play more collectively, not individually.” Is Florentino Perez pressuring Ancelotti to play Mbappe, Rodrygo, Bellingham, and Vinicius together? Is Ancelotti complying with Perez’s demands to avoid dismissal?

This isn’t the first time this has happened. Ancelotti was dismissed during his first stint at Real (2015) for benching Gareth Bale and not following Perez’s preferred lineups. Perez had said: “Benching Bale is an attack on me.”

Ancelotti explained in his book: “Perez reminded me of this, and I didn’t pay much attention, but after that, our relationship was never the same, and he lost trust in me.”

Perez even asked Ancelotti to play Bale in a more central role, but Ancelotti refused, saying it would disrupt the team’s system. That season, Ancelotti was dismissed. This year, however, the situation is entirely different. He has agreed with all management decisions and is now on the verge of being sacked.

When asked today if he felt pressured to play the four stars (Vinicius, Bellingham, Mbappe, Rodrygo) together in many matches, he said: “Look, the problems this season are obvious. We lost two key defenders, and replacing them was difficult. We changed our style with players of different characteristics, and finding balance was tough. I hope we find that balance now. If we don’t, winning will be difficult.”

Ancelotti also shifted the blame to Perez: “In Italy, they say when there’s a problem, you blame your left hand. It was the same in my first stint. I manage my relationships based on my personality. In a relationship, you have to show yourself. This season, I’ve been angry many times. My relationships are equal, and for that, you must respect and be respected, which has been the case. I’m a tough person in life because no one has treated me softly: my father, my coaches, my teachers. But I can’t take a whip. Hire another coach. That’s not my method.”

Ancelotti is on the verge of leaving and seems to have nothing left to hide.