Football

The France centre-back was sent off following a VAR review in the 30th minute for bringing down Evanilson and denying him a goalscoring opportunity.

Despite digging in, Arsenal were unable to maintain their unbeaten start, as Ryan Christie and Justin Kluivert's second-half goals subjected them to a first defeat of the season.

It is the first campaign since 2011-12 that the Gunners have had as many as three players sent off in their opening eight matches of a Premier League season.

In fact, since Arteta's first game in charge of Arsenal on Boxing Day 2019, they have been shown 18 red cards in the top flight, at least five more than any other side.

While they managed to hold onto results against Brighton and Manchester City after going down to 10, Arteta admitted it was going to cost them eventually.

"It's very difficult to win in the Premier League with 10 men for 60-70 minutes, it's just an accident waiting to happen. We have had to go through it in three games and that cost us the game," he told BBC Match of the Day.

"We had the big chance and the moment in the game to score and have a different result, and then we conceded a goal. We try to stick to the rules. The three [red cards] have been different ones and three very different outcomes.

"The team tried, the effort with 10 men was fantastic, but today it was not enough to win the game. It took us a while to understand what we had to do in the first 15 minutes to start with, then we grabbed the game, but after 30 minutes, the game changed."

Bournemouth secured just their second-ever Premier League victory over Arsenal in 15 meetings, and their first since January 2018, when they won 2-1.

Andoni Iraola's substitutes did the damage for the Cherries, with Kluivert both scoring and assisting in a Premier League game for the first time.

Iraola was delighted by the maturity shown in his team's performance as they bounced back from a disappointing loss to Leicester City before the break.

"It was quite a mature win because it is a tricky situation [playing against 10 men]," Iraola told Sky Sports.

"We started well for the first 30 minutes and then the red card changes the game. We had to control the game, attack but not lose our minds, as even with 10 men, set plays, free-kicks they could be a threat. Luckily for us, we took the benefit of having one man more.

"Before half-time, we missed a couple of chances and at the beginning of the second half we managed not to finish, so we had to have patience to take the benefit of having one more player without losing our heads.

"We were playing very well the first 30 minutes. It was a very level game, which is very good when you face this opposition. It became easier with 11 v 10 but everything is not done, you have to finish the job, and we did it."

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed the punishment on Friday following an investigation into the 36-time Italian champions' past transfer dealings.

Juve have slipped from third in Serie A to 10th and are 12 points off the Champions League places with 20 matches left to play.

The FIGC also hit the club's former president Andrea Agnelli and former chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene with two-year bans from Italian football.

Former sporting director Fabio Paratici, who is now at Tottenham, has been given a 30-month ban.

However, the Bianconeri have always denied any wrongdoing and hope the sanctions will be overturned on appeal.

A statement by the club's lawyers read: "Today's acceptance of the appeal for revocation by the Federal Court of Appeal seems to us to constitute a clear unequal treatment to the detriment of Juventus and its managers compared to any other club or registered player.

"We are waiting to carefully read the reasons for presenting the appeal before the Sports Guarantee College. However, we point out, as of now, that only Juventus and its managers are attributed the violation of a rule, which the sports justice itself had repeatedly recognised did not exist. 

"We believe that this is a clear injustice also towards millions of fans, which we trust will soon be remedied in the next level of judgement."

Turin Public Prosecutor's Office had been seeking a nine-point deduction following a hearing earlier on Friday.

But the FIGC announced a harsher punishment after Juve were found to have used transfers to artificially boost their balance sheet.

The sanctions come on the back of chairman Agnelli and the rest of the Bianconeri's board resigning en masse last year.

That came in the wake of an investigation being launched into financial violations during their time in charge.

A separate ruling made last year acquitted Juve and other clubs of their financial conduct within Serie A, with a case centred on player values in exchanges and transfers.

But football prosecutors reopened the case against Juve after seeking new documents collected by public prosecutors in Turin surrounding the club's conduct.

The visitors dominated the first half with 82 percent possession but only broke the deadlock just before the interval through Adam Armstrong.

A rejuvenated Town took the second half by storm and Ben Jackson’s 87th-minute equaliser earned them a point.

Martin said his team’s “mentality” cost them.

“Nowhere near enough energy and intensity. We looked tired towards the end, but there’s no excuse, we should win the game,” Martin said.

“The goal was coming, we just didn’t make enough of our moments in front of the goal, so it’s frustrating, an opportunity missed.

“The game was there for us. We had some brilliant moves in the first half and then we allowed the momentum to shift and the atmosphere to change.

“We became less brave. We were forcing things too much when we didn’t need to because the game was coming to us.

“Our mentality has cost us two points. We need to put that right on Wednesday. I’m annoyed we lost and so are the players, they’re frustrated and angry.”

Martin praised talisman Armstrong, who moved into double figures for goals this season.

“Adam was great, he was one of the ones who played with aggression and intensity. He just needs to keep it going, he’s a fantastic player.

“I want to be higher in the league. I want to have more points, but with what we’re building I can’t ask for any more. I’m angry and upset about the game but grateful for our season so far.

“I am really satisfied with the players who are doing what we ask them to do the majority of the time.

“Days like today are part of the journey, but I’m enjoying it and I’m excited about the future.”

Huddersfield boss Darren Moore hailed the draw as a “special result”.

“The way we went about the game, I thought the boys were unjust to go in at half-time a goal down,” Moore said.

“It’s just a lapse of concentration. I didn’t alter my team talk, it was just for us to get higher up the pitch.

“We could’ve capitalised better on some chances, but I can’t criticise the players because they are doing the right things.

“We had a glorious chance with Sorba Thomas and we had the momentum going forward.

“On the balance of the play, we deserved that today. We got the performance right today in terms of how we managed the game.

“We have had to tighten things up and we capitalised on the counter. How we used the ball during moments was a positive and it’s all credit to the work that everyone has put in recently.

“Today’s result is a special result because of the injuries and who we had available to us at short notice.

“Southampton are an outstanding team and they asked a lot of questions of us, so to set up like we did today we had to be spot on.

“We could have shown a little bit more composure with some of our chances, but that’ll come. Overall it’s a good performance.

“To see us all on the same page and to get that result, everybody can be really pleased with it.”

Leicester, Leeds and Southampton will begin life back in the Championship under new managers with their sights set on an immediate return, and the fixture computer looks to have been kind – at least in the early stages.

The PA news agency has analysed the three divisions’ schedules using an aggregation of leading bookmakers’ odds and identified the most notable runs.

Settling-in period

Leicester boss Enzo Maresca faces Coventry in his first game in charge and, while the Sky Blues reached last season’s play-off final, they are ranked only 11th in the aggregated promotion odds this time around.

Matches against Huddersfield, Cardiff and Rotherham, all ranked in the bottom six, and 16th-ranked Hull follow before they face fellow-relegated side Southampton in game six.

Leeds, who are currently managerless, open up at Elland Road against Cardiff – always a fiery encounter but representing opposition ranked 19th by the bookmakers and fancied to battle against relegation.

Birmingham follow with West Brom the toughest opposition in an opening six games against teams averaging 14.2 in the projected league positions.

Saints, who appointed Russell Martin on Wednesday, have fifth-ranked Norwich as well as the Foxes in their opening six games but also two promoted sides – Sheffield Wednesday, in the season’s opening game on August 4, and Plymouth – as well as QPR.

Leicester will also fancy their chances in the run-in, with relegation-candidates Birmingham, Plymouth and Preston in their last six games. Leeds and Saints have things tougher and meet at Elland Road on the final day.

Fast start vital for Hornets

Watford, also under new management yet again in the form of Valerien Ismael, have the easiest first six opponents on paper, with QPR, Plymouth and Birmingham in the bottom four of the combined odds and Stoke, Blackburn and Coventry also outside the play-off places.

The Hornets have the only harder run-in on paper than Southampton, though, and it stretches to their final eight games, facing Leeds, West Brom, Preston, Ipswich, Southampton, Hull, Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

Martin’s old club Swansea have West Brom and Coventry as the only projected top-half finishers among their first eight, which also include Birmingham, Preston, Bristol City, Cardiff, QPR and Wednesday.

The toughest start on paper belongs to the Sky Blues as they seek to bounce back from their Wembley heartbreak. Mark Robins’ side face Leicester, Middlesbrough, Swansea, Sunderland and Watford before things start to ease up with Hull, Cardiff, Huddersfield and QPR back-to-back.

Their first six are matched for difficulty by QPR’s, with Cardiff the only let-up in a run also featuring Watford, Ipswich, Saints, Boro and Sunderland.

Posh problems?

Promotion-hopefuls Peterborough have the toughest start on paper in League One, with five of their first six opponents projected to finish in the top eight.

Reading, Barnsley and favourites Derby are tipped to finish above fifth-ranked Posh, with Charlton and Portsmouth also in the play-off picture and only Northampton seemingly offering much respite.

Burton and Cheltenham – both among the relegation favourites – face four and five of the projected top eight in their respective first eight games, while Shrewsbury’s first six, by contrast, includes both those teams plus Stevenage, Fleetwood and Carlisle, all ranked in the bottom seven.

Projected strugglers Cambridge and Carlisle have tough run-ins, with the late-season fixtures seeming to favour Cheltenham if they can stay in touch, while Derby have the friendliest run-in on paper of the promotion favourites.

Dragons decider

Three of the last four teams promoted into League Two are the favourites to go up again as this term’s top three, with last season’s risers Wrexham and Notts County sandwiching Stockport.

Intriguingly, the latter visit big-spending Wrexham on the final day with promotion potentially at stake – providing an echo of the Dragons’ National League meeting with Notts County in April when Ben Foster’s last-minute penalty save went a long way to deciding first place.

Crawley, tipped for relegation, have the toughest opening six games in the entire EFL with Bradford, Salford, MK Dons, Gillingham, Swindon and Stockport’s projected league positions averaging out to sixth.

Spare a thought too for Newport, who face projected top-seven finishers Notts County, Gills, MK Dons, Mansfield and Stockport in succession from games 15-19 – and then have to do it all again, in the same order, in games 33-37.

Mbappe missed a second straight penalty on Wednesday in Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao, having also had a spot kick saved by Caomhin Kelleher in the 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool last week.

It was another performance from the Frenchman that failed to hit the heights against Bilbao, with Mbappe having scored eight LaLiga goals for the club this season and 10 in all competitions.

"He is at a lot more than just 1% [of his potential], but he's not at his best," Ancelotti told a press conference.

"However, we have to give him time to adapt [to Real Madrid]. He has scored 10 goals and is working hard to improve and to do better.

"I haven't spoken to him yet. It was a complicated, even, hard-fought, competitive game. We missed a penalty, I don't evaluate a player's game because of a missed penalty. Sometimes you score and sometimes you miss. Obviously he's sad, disappointed, but we have to keep going."

Real Madrid have now lost four of their last seven matches in all competitions and missed the chance to close the gap to leaders Barcelona, who are four points clear on 37 points having played a game more.

"The match was evenly-matched. Athletic are a very dangerous team, we competed and fought. I think the match was worth a draw," Ancelotti said.

"But it is what it is. We're still in contention and have to keep fighting. We could have got a better result, but we're here and we have to think about Saturday's game at Girona."

Madrid won the game 2-0 thanks to a Karim Benzema double, but shocking footage emerged after the final whistle of Vinicius being racially abused as he was substituted late on, while objects were also thrown at the Brazil international from the stands.

Vinicius voiced his frustration on social media over LaLiga bosses' inaction in tackling racism, saying the league "continues to do nothing".

Ancelotti agreed with Vinicius that racism needs to be stamped out with more action, though he stopped short of criticising LaLiga.

When asked if he had discussed the topic with the Brazil international, Ancelotti told reporters: "I don't have to [talk to Vinicius].

"It's quite clear to me. Racism shouldn't exist, and xenophobia shouldn't exist. Talking about it with Vinicius would be a mistake.

"It's society's problem, it shouldn't exist, for me it has to be zero tolerance.

"I don't think it's LaLiga's problem. It's a general, cultural problem in society. Society doesn't have the education it should have.

"With such an important issue I wouldn't focus on Vinicius or LaLiga or the punishments. It's much bigger."

A number of Madrid's key players are set to run out of contract at the end of this season, including midfield pair Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

Ancelotti is relaxed over their futures though, explaining: "Football is changing. When a player reaches the end of his contract it isn't as worrying as it was a few years ago.

"A lot of players reach the end of their contract and it's no problem, if they want to stay, they stay, and if they want to go, they go. Clubs aren't so worried about that."

Guler has been limited to just six starts for Madrid in all competitions this season, while Endrick has only one start to his name.

Brazil international Endrick has recently been linked with a move away to gain experience on loan, but Ancelotti insists he is going nowhere.

"Endrick stays here, just like Guler," he said at Monday's pre-match news conference ahead of the Champions League clash with Atalanta. 

"They may need more minutes, but I don’t have any prejudices with anyone. I only try to put the best players out there for each match.

"That's regardless of whether they are 18 or 40 years old. Sometimes, that might mean playing without Endrick or Guler."

Guler played 89 minutes and was on the scoresheet in Saturday's 3-0 win at Girona, a game in which Endrick made a late appearance.

Both players have featured in the Champions League this season and could be used against Europa League holders Atalanta on Tuesday.

"We need to be patient with young players," Ancelotti said. "They bring enthusiasm, but because they're young, they also need to learn some things."

Under the Champions League's new format, only the top eight teams in the 36-team table advance automatically to the last 16, with the next 16 best finishers taking part in play-offs to join them in the new year.

Madrid are going well in LaLiga, sitting two points adrift of leaders Barcelona with a game in hand, but they have lost three of their five matches in the Champions League.

They sit 24th in the table ahead of Tuesday's trip to fifth-placed Atalanta. Should they lose in Bergamo, it would be the first time a reigning European Cup/Champions League holder has ever experienced a three-game losing streak in the subsequent campaign.

The Opta supercomputer currently gives Madrid a 5% chance of retaining their Champions League crown, and they only reach the last 16 in 64% of tournament simulations. They are given a 92% chance of featuring in the knockout-phase play-offs.

Ancelotti knows Madrid need a win to assuage any fears of an early exit, and he believes a play-off spot is the limit of Los Blancos' ambitions.

"That is nothing more at stake than three important points that will help us to qualify," the Italian told a press conference on Monday.

"Unfortunately we will have to play an extra round, but that's it, I have a lot of confidence in my team.

"Things have improved, we are now in a good dynamic and will keep improving as we move forward.

"Tomorrow's game could be the most difficult one between now and the end of the year. 

"We are worried about finding a good strategy to beat a very tough opponent like Atalanta, but nothing more."

Ancelotti expects to face a much-improved Atalanta side from the one they beat 2-0 in the UEFA Super Cup in August. 

The Europa League champions top Serie A and are on a nine-game winning streak in all competitions, including victories over AC Milan, Napoli and Roma.

"Atalanta are doing very well, they have improved a lot compared to the Super Cup. They're on a roll and they're full of enthusiasm but that give us a chance to go out there and prove a point while earning three important points," Ancelotti said.

"They are a great team, a club that does a spectacular job despite losing a lot of players every summer. They always find ways to adapt and that says a lot about who they are."

The result marked the first time in three years that they have suffered back-to-back defeats in all competitions, having been hammered 4-0 by Barcelona at the Bernabeu last time out.

Following the match, Real Madrid are 17th in the Champions League table – just three points off dropping out of the play-off positions – with Wednesday's games to come.

"We have to be concerned, the team is not playing well," Ancelotti told a press conference on Tuesday.

"The team is not compact, we need to be more compact, more organised, we've conceded a lot of goals... The team is not well organised on the pitch and we need to work on this.

"We have to focus on what we have today, which is a team that is not at its best, and get back to our level so we can fight for all competitions."

Real Madrid have conceded nine goals in their last three matches, while a Vinicius Junior penalty on Tuesday was their only goal in their last two. Players such as Aurelien Tchouameni and Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, were booed by fans.

"It is not an issue of motivation or attitude, it's a collective thing that we need to fix quickly," said Ancelotti.

"On the pitch, something is missing and we have not been able to show our best version. We have to fix this, but the nights are going to be very long and we have to recover the solidity that we are lacking.

"That's the problem above all, we've conceded too many goals for a team that is built on solidity.

"We have to accept criticism and accept reality. We want to do better because it's very difficult to get to the end of the season like this. We have to defend better and we have to look for solutions, without going crazy after drastic changes.

"It's good that the players are down like I am. We can all think about how to improve our version. We are confident that this team will improve." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Ken Ferris)

The transfer window closed on Thursday, leaving Madrid coach Ancelotti with a squad to work with at least until January.

But there remains work to do in the coming months if this hugely successful group is to stay together beyond the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

Madrid have a host of players out of contract at the end of the season; some, like Marco Asensio, seem certain to leave, but Benzema, Modric, Kroos and Nacho are all key men.

Benzema is reportedly expected to sign a one-year extension, however, while Modric has done so in each of the past two years.

And Ancelotti sees this approach as sensible, remaining confident these top performers will stay at the Santiago Bernabeu as long as they are wanted.

"There are some players who are in the final year of their contract with the club, but that's not an issue," he said.

Ancelotti added: "You look at Modric, Kroos, Karim, Nacho, these are players who want to stay here until they finish their careers, sometimes signing one-year contracts.

"I don't think having a player in the final year of his contract is an issue.

"There are a lot of clubs who have players in their final year of contract, because you've got to look at the economy of a club and how clubs are run.

"That's why now we're seeing more players reach their final year of contract.

"Look at our veteran players and what we do with them, bringing in their contracts on a yearly basis."

Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe were on target on Saturday, moving to within two points of LaLiga leaders Barcelona.

Since losing 4-0 to Barca at the end of October, Madrid have won four of their last five LaLiga matches, with their sole defeat coming against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

But Ancelotti feels his team are rediscovering their best form.

"Bellingham has scored his fifth goal in a row. He's back and in good form. Mbappe scored too," he said.

"We have to hang in there, little by little we're coming back.

"We had to hold on at the beginning because Girona pushed hard. We did a good job collectively, and then we handled the advantage well. The team had more clarity and more ideas. I think the second half went very well."

The Italian also praised Guler's performance after the Turkish youngster scored Madrid's second goal.

"He wasn't good in the first half but in the second half he scored a fantastic goal," Ancelotti said.

"What I want to highlight is his work. He runs a lot and helps the team. His goal takes a bit of pressure off him.

"He's a young player with a lot of pressure around him and it's good for him to take a bit of pressure off."

An injury to Bellingham was a cause for concern for Madrid, but Ancelotti allayed any major fears.

"[Bellingham] is fine, he is available," said the Italian. "We've had the muscle injury to [Benjamin] Mendy but the rest of it is just knocks, nothing more,"

Mbappe's goal brought up his 200th in the top five leagues, while Bellingham has scored in five consecutive league games in a single season for the first time.

After a tight first half, which saw Los Blancos manage just two shots on target, they secured all three points thanks to second-half penalties from Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

They were far from their best though, accumulating just 0.6 expected goals from 16 shots (six on target), while they just edged possession with 52%.

However, Ancelotti praised his players' resilience and was proud of how they were able to endure the home side's pressure.

"It was a complicated match. We didn't deserve to win, because Real Sociedad pushed us really hard," he told a press conference.

"We held on and suffered, showed character and a lot of commitment. I value that a lot because it's not easy to find commitment in a team with so much talent and quality, and today we did it.

"I leave very satisfied, and then we have to be self-critical in order to improve. It's a great opportunity for us to assess what we didn't do well but with three more points in the table."

Madrid are second on 11 points, one behind Barcelona who visit fifth-placed Girona on Sunday.

Ancelotti acknowledged his side were struggling with fatigue and poor form, but said it was to be expected due to a busy calendar, coming off the back of the international break.

The Italian said he saw improvement in Mbappe's performance as the France captain settles in at his new club, having scored his third goal for Madrid on Saturday.

"We can talk about all the problems in the world with this match, but the important thing was to get out with a win," added Ancelotti, who was without midfielders Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos and Aurelien Tchouameni.

"We have to take into account that we are not at 100%. It's normal, we don't have four midfielders who are injured. I value a lot the work of those who have played.

"I see Mbappe fresher, more active. He's very dangerous and combines well with Vinicius and the other forwards. He is improving a lot. I liked his game a lot."

Madrid now turn their attention to their Champions League title defence which starts on Tuesday against Stuttgart.

Vinicius has contributed 18 goal involvements (10 goals, eight assists) during another fine campaign in LaLiga, but the Brazilian has repeatedly received harsh treatment from opposing defenders.

The winger was the centre of attention once again during Tuesday's 4-2 defeat at Girona, being booked for his furious reaction after Santiago Bueno aggressively kicked the ball against him.

Vinicius has drawn 113 fouls in LaLiga this season, comfortably the highest tally in the competition – Rayo Vallecano's Isi Palazon is second with 87.

Vinicius has also been targeted by racist chants from opposing supporters on multiple occasions this term, causing LaLiga to release several statements in support of the 22-year-old.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's fixture against Almeria, Ancelotti repeated his calls for Vinicius to receive more protection on and off the pitch, saying: "He's a player that dribbles one-on-one. In order to stop these players, people stop them with fouls.

"We are concerned for our player, and the only way to preserve these players is justice. Only this can prevent injuries from happening.

"It's true that Vinicius suffers a lot of nasty tackles. In the past there were other players, like Diego Maradona and Pele, who also suffered a lot from these challenges.

"We have been very lucky that Vinicius has a strong physique and is capable of enduring them. He has not had any injuries.

"There are two topics – one inside the pitch and one outside the pitch. One of them, on the outside, is bad for society. A modern society cannot be like that."

With Madrid trailing Barcelona by 11 points at the top of LaLiga, some have suggested Ancelotti's own future could be dictated by his team's ability to defend their Champions League crown.

Ancelotti has previously expressed a desire to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu until the expiration of his contract in 2024, and the Italian repeated that intention on Friday.

Asked whether he needed to lead Madrid to a 15th European Cup/Champions League title to keep his job, Ancelotti said: "That is not so. 

"My future is already written, I'll stay until 2024. After that, I don't know."

Ancelotti watched on as his side were well beaten at the Bernabeu by the Serie A side, with Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders on target for the visitors. 

The result followed a humiliating 4-0 defeat to rivals Barcelona in the Clasico, with Ancelotti losing consecutive home games for the first time as Los Blancos' head coach.

Madrid are already nine points behind Hansi Flick's side at the summit of LaLiga, though they have played a game less after their game away to Valencia was postponed. 

They welcome Osasuna to the Spanish capital on Saturday, and Ancelotti is looking for a response from his side to get their season back on track. 

"Osasuna are doing very well, playing brave football and well positioned in the table," Ancelotti told reporters.

"We see tomorrow as a great opportunity to get back to doing things right... at this moment in time, which is obviously difficult. We have a chance to get back to our best.

"We have analysed the situation. We think we have found the solution, but it has to be seen in practice. We want to see a different version tomorrow.

"I see the team united, motivated and aware. But we have to wait until tomorrow to see if we act in the right way."

And the Madrid boss has reason to be confident heading into their game on Saturday, having not lost in his eight LaLiga fixtures against Osasuna (W5 D3). 

Only against Real Betis (W5 D4) has Ancelotti gone more games without defeat in the competition (eight, also against Elche, Granada and Almeria).

Ancelotti was, however, positive that Kylian Mbappe would return to his best form, having scored just once in his last six games in all competitions. 

Mbappe was also left out of France's Nations League fixtures against Israel and Italy later this month, though Ancelotti believes this weekend's fixture provides an opportunity for his striker to silence the doubters.

"He's training well, he's going through a difficult moment... like each one of us," Ancelotti said.

"And like all of us, he has to think that this is an opportunity, that if he is clever he can get through it, but it requires more concentration and attitude. 

"This is a strong, motivated group and the biggest club in the world. This is the best place to get through difficult times. And I am convinced that we will," he added.

Barcelona currently have a three-point lead at the top of the table, having won all but one of their 10 matches. 

But Madrid are unbeaten in the league this campaign and are in fact on the cusp of history. They are one game away from matching the longest unbeaten run in the history of LaLiga, recorded by Ernesto Valverde's Barca (43) between 2017 and 2018.

They have won 31 and drawn 11 of the matches in that timeframe, with their last league defeat coming against rivals Atletico Madrid on September 25 last year.

And Ancelotti, who pointed out that Madrid are the reigning champions in Spain, said his team will not be intimidated by the task ahead of them.

"Fortunately, at the moment nobody keeps me awake at night," Ancelotti told a press conference on Friday.

"[Barcelona] are doing very well. But in a match like the Clasico, it's very difficult to pick a favourite beforehand. It depends on the dynamics of the match. It's a matter of how you are able to handle the pressure, to deal with the tempo and how to identify the moments of the match...

"Barca have a very clear idea of how they play the game, they are performing very well. They are a very brave team, and we need to prepare well for the game and try to play our best version."

Barca travel to Madrid on the back of a 4-1 Champions League win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday, maintaining Flick's outstanding start with 11 wins from 13 matches in all competitions.

Madrid, however, have come under moderate criticism from pundits about starting their games slowly, raising questions about their motivation after winning both the LaLiga and Champions League titles last season.

The latest example was in their Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, when they had to fight back from two goals down after a dismal first half, only to score five goals after the break, with Vinicius Junior netting a hat-trick.

Ancelotti is not worried about his players' mindset, though, and believes they will be ready from the start due to the seriousness of their rivalry.

"Usually, in this style of match, you don't have to talk as much beforehand... The idea is to define a very clear, very simple strategy... and nothing else," Ancelotti added.

"It's not a type of match where you have to give big speeches. Playing like we did in the second half against Dortmund for 90 minutes is impossible, but that should be our starting point, what we will try to achieve. I think we did a lot of things right.

"We will prepare the game to do the right things with and without the ball. We have to play a complete game to win, and we will try to do that."

Vinicius has missed Madrid's last three games in all competitions with a muscle injury sustained in Los Blancos' 3-0 win over Leganes in the league last month. 

His absence from the squad has seen Ancelotti's men struggle for results, losing to Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao either side of a home triumph over Getafe. 

In LaLiga this season, Vinicius has created the most chances (29), completed the most dribbles (38) and registered the most goal involvements (13) for Madrid. 

"Seeing Vinicius back is good news, it gives us more encouragement," Ancelotti told a press conference on Friday.

"He has recovered very well. He won't be in tomorrow's game, but he'll be ready for the next one, in the Champions League."

Ancelotti also provided an update on David Alaba, who is yet to feature for Madrid this term after picking up an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury last year.

"Alaba has encouraged us a lot in training, but he needs another month to be ready to play in January," Ancelotti added.

"In December he will continue to work individually and little by little he will also join the team. But the deadline for him is next year."

Madrid sit second in the standings, four points behind Barcelona at the summit, though they have a game in hand over their Clasico rivals. 

But Ancelotti's side come into their weekend encounter against Girona in poor form, having lost five of their last 11 matches across all competitions. 

They have also lost 50% of their visits to Girona at the Municipal de Montilivi in LaLiga (P4 W2 L2).

Only against Barcelona (54.3% - P94 W23 D20 L51) do they have a higher percentage of away defeats in the competition (50% also against Alcoyano and Lleida).

But they have also struggled in the Champions League, sitting 24th in the new 36-team league table and at a threat of not reaching the knockout stages. 

"I'm worried, and it's normal, but it's not a funeral," Ancelotti said. "We're still in the fight in all competitions.

"(We recognise) our problems, but we have to be optimistic because we have a quality squad.

"We haven't played at our best, but we're convinced that we're going to do it, sooner or later. My level of concern is medium."

Ancelotti was also calm about the form of Kylian Mbappe, who missed his second penalty in a week during their 2-1 defeat to Bilbao on Wednesday. 

Despite having more shots on target (three) and more touches in the opposition's box (six) than any player on the pitch, the Frenchman struggled once again. 

"He is aware (he hasn't been at his best)," Ancelotti said. "Obviously, we are with him.

"He's not playing at his best, but there are many who aren't either and are not aware of it. He is. And he's doing everything he can to do it as soon as possible.

"He has improved a lot when it comes to the intensity of the game. Against Getafe, he did 600 metres at maximum intensity and against Athletic he did 500.

"It's a good level. We have to support him, but that doesn't mean he has to play every game."

Madrid never led at Montilivi, falling 2-0 down inside 24 minutes thanks to a couple of goals from Taty Castellanos.

Vinicius Junior pulled one back, but Castellanos added another two in the second half before Lucas Vazquez's late consolation.

Castellanos became the first player this century to score four goals in one LaLiga game against Madrid, and the defeat means Barcelona could extend their lead at the summit to 14 points on Wednesday.

While Madrid's LaLiga hopes are all but over, they are into the Champions League semi-finals and final of the Copa del Rey – they still have much to play for this term, and Ancelotti hopes this defeat jolts them back into life.

Asked if the loss could be a wake-up call, Ancelotti said: "Yes, it can be, although a loss is never good.

"I reiterate the importance of defensive commitment: if we have that, we will always win, and if not, it will cost us. That is the key, our key, and today we didn't have it.

"Of the last seven games, we kept six clean sheets, and in this game, [we conceded] four goals. I hope my players have understood. If not, I will repeat it to them every day."

But it was not just the defence Ancelotti was frustrated by.

He found the individual level lacking across the team and felt they did not work collectively after finding themselves in trouble

"It's tough, because when you lose it has to be tough," he added. "The game was bad in defence and that has been the key, because we did well with the ball, especially at the beginning.

"But we weren't forceful in duels, they caught us on two counters... and from there, everything became more difficult.

"We tried to come back individually, not as a team, because today the team has not played. The individual level was also below normal, but not just for some, rather in general. The level was very low."

Botafogo beat Atletico Mineiro 3-1 to win their first title in the famous competition, despite seeing Gregore sent off inside 30 seconds for a high tackle on Fausto Vera. 

Luiz Henrique and Alex Telles put Botafogo two goals in front before Eduardo Vargas reduced the deficit, only for Junior Santos to seal the win in second-half injury time. 

The Intercontinental Cup, which takes place in Qatar at the end of this month, will see the champions of all six confederations square off for a chance to play Madrid in the final. 

Botafogo will play CONCACAF champions Pachuca, with the winner of that encounter taking on the African-Asian-Pacific Cup winners, Al Ahly. 

Los Blancos are already in the tournament's showpiece on December 18 after beating Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final, claiming their 15th title. 

"I watched the match (Libertadores final) live and really enjoyed it," Ancelotti told a press conference.

"It was a fantastic atmosphere. I was mesmerised. An incredible first minute of the game, with that incredible flying kick (that earned Gregore a red card).

"Then the team's (Botafogo's) attitude and commitment were extraordinary. They played a fantastic match down to 10 men."

Ancelotti was also happy for Botafogo midfielder Allan, who he managed during his time in charge of Napoli and Everton.

The Italian is hoping for a reunion with his former player, saying: "I'm happy for Allan who won the Libertadores with Botafogo, which is a historic team in Brazilian football.

"For them to be able to finally win the Libertadores for the first time. Yes, I was delighted!

"I know they still have a couple of games to fight for and reach the (Intercontinental Cup) final but yes, it would be great if it's them against us."

But up first for Ancelotti and Madrid is a trip to the San Mames Barria to face Athletic Bilbao in LaLiga. 

Madrid recovered from their loss to Liverpool in the Champions League in midweek by beating Getafe 2-0 on Sunday, with Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham on target.

That result moved Los Blancos to within a point of rivals Barcelona at the summit of the standings, with the luxury of having a game in hand over their Clasico rivals. 

Ancelotti, however, has seen his side suffer several injuries this season, with the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Vinicius Junior and Eder Militao all missing on Sunday. 

But Ancelotti was able to provide a positive injury update on midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who has missed the last four games in all competitions with an ankle injury.

"To have Aurelien back is really important because of his role, so versatile defensively, can play as a centre-back or holding midfielder," added the Italian.

"Also, his height is key for us while defending set pieces, an important aspect of the game in which we have suffered since Eder Militao went down."

Ancelotti has taken charge of Madrid 299 times across two spells, overseeing 119 games between 2013 and 2015, winning the Copa del Rey in 2013-14 and also leading the Spanish giants to their long-awaited 10th European Cup/Champions League crown.

Since returning to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2021, Ancelotti has overseen a further 180 matches, leading the side to two more Champions League successes, two domestic title triumphs and a further Copa del Rey win.

Ancelotti – who last season became the first coach to win the European Cup/Champions League on five occasions – turned 65 in June, but he intends to coach at the top level for some time yet.

"I'm not thinking about my future whatsoever, I love this job," Ancelotti told reporters at a press conference on Monday.

"I have been lucky enough to coach great clubs, tomorrow it will be my 300th game at the best club in the world, it is something special to be in this dugout, to do it 300 times is not quite a miracle, but it is almost a miracle.

"Sure, you can't compare my tiredness to that of the players. There is pressure, responsibility, but I love it. At the moment I don't see myself as having an expiry date, I'd love to stay here for many years to come."

Madrid's only two losses across all competitions last season were both to local rivals Atletico Madrid, a 3-1 defeat in LaLiga on September 24, 2023, and a 4-2 extra-time loss in the Copa del Rey in January.

Should they avoid defeat versus Alaves on Tuesday, they will have completed a full calendar year unbeaten in LaLiga.

They have gone 38 league matches without defeat, closing in on the record held by Barcelona, who went 43 games without losing between April 2017 and May 2018.

The coach praised the resilience of his players, who have repeatedly found ways to salvage results despite injuries biting hard in recent weeks.

"Some records are about winning and others are about not losing. We are coming from a very long run and that means a lot of success, because draws often help you a lot," Ancelotti said.

"I think that in football, if you can't win, at least don't lose. Sometimes a draw gives a better feeling than a defeat. 

"Defeat gives options to improve, that's true. But our success in the Champions League in the past lies in our solidity, in the way we compete.

"It has taken us a while to find this solidity at the start of the season, but we are going to find it, because the mental attitude of the players is very good."

Madrid are second in the LaLiga standings on 14 points, four behind leaders Barcelona, who host Getafe on Wednesday.