Madrid, Dec. 20 (BNA): Carlo Ancelotti said no one should be blamed after Real Madrid’s disappointing 0-0 draw at home to struggling Cadiz, praising the performance even if the result was not as expected.
Real Madrid had hoped to extend their winning streak to eight league games but failed to convert their superiority into goals at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Los Blancos’ 36 shots have risen to 10 more than any other team in a single La Liga game this season, and the most since Real Madrid made 37 attempts against Levante in April 2013, Reuters reports.
Those shots tied for an expected 2.8 goal (xG), meaning it was only the fourth time in the past decade that Real Madrid had failed to score in a La Liga match despite scoring at least 2.8 xG.
Cadiz defended valiantly, his 14th block being the most any team has scored in a match since Opta began collecting this data (2005-2006), and somehow managed to leave the Santiago Bernabeu with at least one point for the second season in a row.
However, as frustrated as his team’s failure to beat 19th-placed Cadiz was, Ancelotti looked on the bright side.
Speaking to Movistar, Ancelotti said: “I think we tried in every way, but it wasn’t very good.
“It didn’t work out, but we tried, so I don’t have to blame [anyone]. There are a lot of positive things, the only thing that wasn’t positive was not winning the three points, but that’s football.
“There are times you don’t deserve it and you win, and others you don’t deserve it and you don’t win. They played with us with a squad that always challenged us, but that’s how it is.
“In the first half, what we didn’t do well was break the defense line, the intensity wasn’t very high. The second half was different, we created a lot of chances.
“The ball didn’t go in, but personally, I’m happy. We tried, I don’t know what more we can do. We could have done more quality in the last metres, but I won’t ask my team for more.”
Several Real Madrid players caught the eye, but one of the most notable – even if not necessarily the superstar – was Eden Hazard.
The Belgian has been a big disappointment since joining Real Madrid from Chelsea, with injuries playing a major role in disrupting him, but he looked brilliant at times in what was his first La Liga start since September.
Hazard had three shots, his match-high 0.77 xG showing him as a threat, while also playing five key passes, the second most he scored in a league match with Real Madrid.
Ancelotti added: “It was difficult for him to enter the match, but in the second half he performed very well with better groups with the attackers.
“It is clear that Hazard can be an additional weapon for us in the second half of the season.”