Carlo Ancelotti is convinced Real Madrid have the firepower to overturn their 1-0 Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg defeat to a Barcelona side he suggests did not want to play.
Barca claimed a smash-and-grab victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday to take a slender advantage into next month's return game at Camp Nou.
The decisive goal came in the 26th minute when Franck Kessie's shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois before going in off Eder Militao.
Madrid were largely dominant otherwise, with Barca having just 35.3 per cent of the possession – that is their smallest share of the ball in a single match since Opta records began (2013-14 season).
Similarly, it was only the third time since the start of last year that Barca have recorded less than 50 per cent possession in a match.
Ancelotti was unimpressed by Barca's performance and remains confident Madrid will reach the final, despite Los Blancos failing to get a single shot on target for only the third time in a decade.
"The team played well," he told reporters. "Barcelona played like they didn't want to play.
"We haven't been good in the last third. Defeat hurts, but if we do the same in the second leg, we have a chance to progress.
"We played the game we have to play: pressing, playing with intensity. We lacked a goal, but they did nothing to score. They were lucky with a rebound. We have 90 minutes [to turn it around]."
He added: "We've failed, but we did not deserve to lose. But in 90 minutes we can score a goal in Barcelona."
Despite the obvious frustration in his voice, Ancelotti was undoubtedly impressed with how Madrid managed to control the majority of the game, forcing Barca to play mostly on the edge of their own box.
"It's a very bad result, undeserved, but it was a game well done on our part, with intensity and commitment.
"We didn't let Barca play the way they want. They had a very low block, not because they wanted to, but because we made them do it.
"It was difficult to have opportunities, we tried from outside the box, but they have great defenders and they gave us problems in the crosses.
"It was difficult to find spaces. They were very closed off. I have nothing to reproach. I am very happy and I am very excited to do the same in the second leg.
"They have an advantage, but we have all the confidence in the world to be able [to turn it around]."
The second leg is at Camp Nou on April 5.
Vancouver Whitecaps v Colorado Rapids: Sartini relishing preparing for Rapids after morale-boosting win
Vanni Sartini enjoys being able to take a different approach to their match against Colorado Rapids, as he does so following a win.
The Whitecaps snapped a six-match winless run in MLS last time out, seeing out a 2-1 victory against Sporting Kansas City in midweek.
It moves them up to sixth in the Western Conference, where they will have the chance to keep their name in the mix at the top with another win.
Sartini was upbeat following their victory, but was quick to point out they would not be thinking about that result for too long.
"The good vibes [after the win] ended on Friday morning. Then we start thinking about Colorado, but we think about it in a completely different way after a win," Sartini said.
"If we beat them, we get away from them [in the table] and it would put us in a good position going into the [international] break. It's a completely different feeling, but we're very happy to approach the game in this way."
Colorado are also on 26 points, only behind Vancouver due to their inferior goal difference.
The Rapids have won only one of their last five outings, and head coach Chris Armas admits there is still work to be done if they want to get back to winning ways.
"We're a work in progress," he said. "We're going to make mistakes, we have a fairly young squad, so we will make mistakes, and we need to work on that."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vancouver Whitecaps – Ryan Gauld
Gauld scored his fourth regular-season brace in Vancouver's win at Kansas City on Wednesday.
That saw him equal Eric Hassli, Fredy Montero, and Pedro Morales for the second-most multi-goal games for the Whitecaps, behind only Camilo Sanvezzo (eight).
Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic
Mihailovic has been involved in a goal in five of his last six MLS appearances (two goals, three assists), including the last three in a row.
The American has recorded a goal contribution in four straight appearances once before in his MLS career, doing so with CF Montreal between September and October 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN
The Whitecaps have lost only one of their last nine matches against the Rapids in Vancouver (won four, drawn four) dating back to October 2014, including going unbeaten in the last three at BC Place (won one, drawn two).
However, Vancouver have lost two of their last three home matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Inter Miami on Saturday.
The Whitecaps have suffered back-to-back home defeats in MLS only once since returning to BC Place in 2021, doing so in July 2022 against Minnesota United and Chicago Fire.
Colorado have lost their last two away matches, conceding eight goals along the way. The Rapids had lost only one of their previous six on the road (won three, drawn two), allowing a total of six goals in those games.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Vancouver Whitecaps – 50.3%
Draw – 25.1%
Colorado Rapids – 24.5%
Philadelphia Union v CF Montreal: Organisation key for Curtin
Jim Curtin believes maintaining an organised, coordinated press will be key for the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, when they take on CF Montreal at Subaru Park.
The Union sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, five places but just three points clear of Montreal, after playing out a goalless draw with Toronto FC in midweek.
Philadelphia have only won one of their last nine MLS matches but have taken five points from their last three (one win, two draws), while keeping three straight clean sheets.
Curtin feels picking their moments to strike is the way to go against Laurent Courtois' team, saying: "We expect a really tough test against Montreal. You can tell they're well-coached, they're well-drilled in the way that they try to pass out of the back.
"They have some really intricate movements within their group. They're brave home and away in the way they try and play.
"We'll have to do a good job of being organised, and try to turn them over as close to their goal as possible, and create chances."
Montreal ended a run of seven league games without a victory (three draws, four losses) by beating D.C. United 4-2 last time out, with Ariel Lassiter among the scorers.
Lassiter hopes that result can be a turning point in their season, saying: "Winning changes everything, winning changes the outlook of the locker room and the mentality.
"It's the victory, the three points that we need to go into Philadelphia to get points there, and then to finish for the international break on a high."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag
The Union have failed to score in back-to-back MLS matches for the first time since April 2023. They have not gone three straight MLS matches (including playoffs) without finding the net in over a decade, last doing so in September 2013.
His team's leading scorer with nine goals in 14 league games this term, Gazdag will look to end their barren run.
CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim
Ibrahim scored a brace off the bench for Montreal on Wednesday, becoming just the third player in club history to score multiple goals off the bench in an MLS match.
He was the first Montreal player to achieve the feat since Ahmed Hamdi in July 2021.
MATCH PREDICTION – PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won only one of their last nine matches (four draws, four losses) following their scoreless draw with Toronto on Wednesday.
Philadelphia's seven points during this time is their fewest in a nine-match span in a single season since they took seven points from nine games between March and May 2017.
However, they have only lost one of their last eight games against Montreal (four wins, three draws), who were winless in nine across all competitions before their midweek victory. Home advantage makes them favourites.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 58.5%
CF Montreal – 19.9%
Draw – 21.6%
Wiegman rues set-pieces as Lionesses beaten by France
Sarina Wiegman rued England's sloppyness from set-pieces, as the Lionesses' Euro 2025 qualifying hopes were dented by a 2-1 defeat to France.
England suffered their first home defeat in a qualifying match since October 2002 with Les Bleues - ironically the last nation to inflict such a loss - coming from behind to prevail at St James' Park.
The reigning European champions had the opportunity to leapfrog France to the Group A3 summit and, despite losing goalkeeper Mary Earps to injury early on, the hosts appeared on course to do just that when Beth Mead opened the scoring after half an hour.
However, they were undone by set-pieces in both halves, as goals from Elisa De Almeida and Marie-Antoinette Katoto completed the turnaround in the visitors' favour.
The Lionesses, who travel to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard for the return meeting on Tuesday, slip to third place in Group A3. And though Wiegman hailed the overall performance, she acknowledged her side must improve.
"It was frustrating," she told ITV Sport. "I think we played pretty well, we conceded two goals from set plays, which we have to do a lot better on.
"In these matches, you don't get too many chances. In the first half, we created multiple, but only scored one - and they unfortunately scored one too.
"We were more on the ball in the second half without creating too many more chances, but we were dangerous. The final pass needed to be better.
"We know France are really good at set-pieces. Of course, we were prepared, but they still got that time."
Skipper Leah Williamson added: "[We're] really disappointed, the game was there to be won. It was a fantastic occasion. The fans have never let us down, so it's a shame not to give them a win as well.
"We played well, not good enough to win the game, but the chances were there to win it. Two set-pieces have killed us. There's an element of luck to those things, but first contact and second contact need to be better. We will be better on Tuesday."
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