Ancelotti: "The team was committed in a competitive, hard-fought and difficult match"

Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media at Balaídos and commented on the LaLiga matchday 10 encounter between Celta and Real Madrid: "It was a tough and challenging match. Our achievement lies in the fact that we fought hard right until the final whistle. We could have performed better, yet the team showed great dedication. We started off lacking balance, and the goal we let in was something we could have prevented. We need to be more alert, particularly when facing counter-attacks."

"Thanks to a brilliant assist from Modrić, we secured three crucial points. He consistently makes a difference, whether he’s in the starting lineup or coming in as a substitute. His skill is vital to our team. He really impacted the tempo of the match and played a key role."

Acclaim for Modrić: "There's not much more to say. He remains an outstanding footballer. He's no longer young, but he is an exceptional professional who puts in a lot of effort. He has a calm demeanor and a strong personality. Having a player like him has been a real asset for Real Madrid."

Bellingham's role on the field has shifted. The plan was to bring him into play more from the right wing, as Celta has struggled with attackers getting behind their defense in earlier matches. I was really impressed with Bellingham's performance today.

In the first half, Tchouameni found himself positioned between our two center-backs, which caused us some imbalance. When we were without the ball, he needed to push forward, and that led to our formation becoming disorganized. In the second half, we adjusted things slightly, moving Tchouameni more to the right. However, we failed to address what happens when the opposing team loses possession; Tchouameni would advance while the center-backs stayed back, making us vulnerable to counterattacks. A different formation could allow us to play with a defensive midfielder positioned in front of the center-backs.

Bellingham said, "He's making a difference. I didn't catch what happened with Vini Jr, but he's really brave and has a strong personality. After the match, I noticed them chatting and laughing together. I doubt there will be any issues."