Ten days after losing 0-4 in El Clasico to Barcelona, Real Madrid needed more than just a Champions League win over AC Milan. They needed a statement win. There needed to be evidence that Los Blancos were starting to connect with the controversy surrounding Kylian Mbappe.
However, they continued to lose 1-3 at home to AC Milan. Instead of proving, there was more evidence of the instability of the reigning Champions League champions. With 2 losses after 4 matches, Los Blancos will certainly have to work very hard if they want to pass the group stage this year.
Real Madrid's performance against Milan was reminiscent of their 5-2 comeback win over Dortmund two weeks ago. But the similarities were all the worse. Los Blancos had a frustrating first 45 minutes, playing disjointedly and falling 2-1 behind. Crucially, they failed to respond in the same way they did against Dortmund.
Ancelotti tried everything, making five substitutions. He brought on Eduardo Camavinga, Brahim Diaz, Dani Ceballos, Rodrygo and Fran Garcia in the second half in an attempt to revive his team. However, that only added to the chaos.
By the end of the game, Real Madrid had created plenty of chances - 23 shots, 10 of which were on target and an xG (expected goals) of 2.44. However, they only managed to score once.
There were still moments when it looked like Los Blancos would pull off a comeback. Antonio Rudiger had a goal in the second half that was ruled out for offside. Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan also made a close-range save from Diaz's header. But overall, it was a night to forget for Real Madrid.
There were some ridiculously lucky long-range shots from talented players like Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham. Meanwhile, Mbappe missed chance after chance. The Frenchman finished the game with eight shots, only three of which were on target and an xG of 0.54.
This is a team with Vinicius and Mbappe up front, Bellingham and Federico Valverde in midfield, Rudiger and Eder Militao in defence. These are all elite players. Their performances, at least this season, have been the opposite. And on the touchline, the pressure is mounting on Ancelotti.
Los Blancos' performances in the Champions League this season have been unconvincing and varied. Against Stuttgart, they needed late goals from Rudiger and Endrick to win 3-1. At Lille, they lost 1-0, having missed several chances.
The 5-2 comeback against Dortmund was thrilling, fuelled by a career-best second-half performance from Vinicius. But that came after a difficult first 45 minutes. And now another forgettable defeat to Milan.
"We should be worried because the team is not playing well. We have to be more solid, more compact. We have conceded a lot of goals" - Ancelotti said after the loss to Milan.
