‘Wasn’t giving his 100%’: Ancelotti reveals why he substituted star midfielder against AC Milan

Real Madrid’s inconsistency in the 2024/25 season continued on Tuesday night when the Spanish giant lost at home to Seria A side AC Milan.

Despite being the favourite to win the game, Madrid stumbled to 3-1 defeat in front of their home fans. This defeat has placed Real Madrid’s qualification for the Champions League’s next stage in a challenging position.

The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior failed to come to the party while Luka Modric’s experience on the pitch also failed to help the team.

Carlo Ancelotti was criticised for his game plan and also the substitution of Federico Valverde at half-time.

This decision drew attention online, with some fans and even Valverde’s family expressing frustration over his early substitution.

However, Ancelotti responded by saying that it was purely a physical decision and necessary for the team’s overall play. The Italian tactician insisted that Valverde was replaced due to a back issue.

Federico Valverde (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

According to Ancelotti, this injury affected Valverde’s performance in the first half.

“Fede wasn’t giving his 100%, he had a back problem but he trained well yesterday… but I think he had problems in the first half.”

“He wasn’t at his best physically and that’s why I changed him,” he noted.

Ancelotti also highlighted a need for order and discipline among his players, pointing out that the team’s lack of organisation has led to conceding unnecessary goals.

“We have to be worried. The reality is what we see on the pitch is that we are missing something and we have to fix it,” he began saying.

“The team has not been giving a good version in the last few games. We have conceded nine goals in three games and that is too much for a team that has built its strength on defensive solidity.”

“It is normal that the players are down, as I am. It is going to be a very long night and it is good that it is that way,” he said.