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Carlo Ancelotti reveals real reason Barcelona defeated Real Madrid.
In the first leg of their Copa del Rey, semifinal matchup on Thursday at Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said that Barcelona’s tight defensive line was the reason why his team fell short.
Although Barcelona is good in the air, Ancelotti acknowledged that Real Madrid put in a lot of crosses.
The first-half own goal by Eder Militao gave Xavi’s team a little lead going into the Nou Camp venue for the second leg of their semi-final next month.
“It was a good game. We played an intense game, with a lot of pressure up front,” Ancelotti said at his post-match press conference.
“The fact that they had 34 percent possession means that we did well in this aspect, but their defensive line was very tight.
“We put in a lot of crosses, but they are strong in the air. It is the game we wanted to play and it gives us confidence for the second leg.”