Carlo Ancelotti isn’t interested in listening to Real Madrid fans’ biggest concern

Real Madrid fans were incensed with the club’s performance against PSG in the Champions League Round of 16. Although Los Blancos nearly played out a 0-0 draw at the Parc des Princes, they were thoroughly dominated in a 1-0 loss that could have easily been a 4-0 loss if it were not for the heroics of David Alaba, Eder Militao, and, of course, Thibaut Courtois in defense.

Carlo Ancelotti quite clearly did not put his team in a position to succeed, least of all the midfield and forwards. Real Madrid played like cowards off their back foots, and Madridistas were especially annoyed that Karim Benzema played through an injury (he was woeful due to his lack of fitness) and that Fede Valverde did not start in a match tailor-made for his skill-set.

Throughout the season, Madridistas have worried about Ancelotti repeating his mistakes from 2014-15. That is to say, they are worried the team’s dominance to start the season will dissipate as the team gets tired due to a lack of rotations.

But Carlo reportedly isn’t going to be swayed by the concerns of fans or the fact that his team looks fatigued in so many matches, such as in poor results to Villarreal and PSG.

Carlo Ancelotti reportedly won’t rotate more

ABC Deportes’ Tomas Gonzalez-Martin writes that despite these concerns, which also come from within Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti will not give in. He will not rotate the squad frequently and will instead roll with the same XI each week, as he has done throughout the season.

On the one hand, you can understand Ancelotti. He knows he is under pressure to win LaLiga and to turn things around in the Champions League, and it is hard to bench players like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, even if it is for the greater good.

But notice how even stars like Kroos, Modric, and Vinicius Jr. do not look at their best without rest. Also look at how perfectly capable players in the XI, such as Eduardo Camavinga and Fede Valverde, wallow away on the bench when they could contribute significantly.

Ancelotti did not rotate to close 2021 with the understanding that Real Madrid would win key matches in LaLiga against the likes of Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, and then they would rotate after banking key wins and a lead in the league.

Instead, Ancelotti has continued to run his players into the ground. There are other reasons for Real’s losses to Getafe, Athletic Bilbao, and, now, PSG, but fatigue is one of them.

The Real Madrid manager is playing a dangerous game if he is indeed uninterested in rotating more frequently. Hopefully, it does not cost the Royal White club their 35th league title – or Don Carlo his job and a chance to manage the likes of Kylian Mbappe in 2022-23.