Outgoing Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for his young charges who helped the injury-stricken team grab a 2-1 win against Mallorca, thanks to academy centre-back Jacobo Ramon’s late winner in the fifth minute of added time.
The win meant a delay for Barcelona’s hopes of sealing the title and kept hopes for Los Blancos’ alive – but with two games left, they are four points adrift of their rivals who have a game in hand and will win their 28th LaLiga crown on Thursday if they beat city rivals Espanyol.
“We didn’t give up despite having 12 players injured, something that is very rare,” Ancelotti said in a press conference.
“The match was won thanks to a good attitude from the team and the players who came in and delivered a good performance. I’ve never seen a team shoot 40 times at goal like we did today.
“We have covered so many absentees with an extraordinary effort by all the players who did step foot on the pitch today. If we had done it in more games with this same attitude throughout the season, it would have been a better campaign.”
Ancelotti had confirmed on Monday that he would be leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season to take over the vacant Brazil national team job.
The Italian, however, stated his focus remains in the Spanish capital until May 26, when he travels to Rio de Janeiro to start his new role with the five-time World champions.
“Whenever I’ve sat on the Real Madrid bench at the Santiago Bernabeu it’s always been special for me,” Ancelotti continued.
“I leave with the peace of mind and the serenity of having done what I have been able to do, that my team tries to win until the last minute, as we did today.
“We believe in doing our thing, in winning what’s left and see what happens. They have to lose, but anything can happen. We will fight.”
