Real Madrid were riding high after outscoring two quality LaLiga opponents 4-0 in their last two, Real Sociedad and Girona, but then they went ahead and turned in one of their flatest performances of the 2024/25 season in a 2-1 loss to Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin on Saturday afternoon.
There's honestly a lot of blame to go around, but the buck always has to stop with the manager, especially when it comes to a team with the expectations that Real Madrid have. They shot themselves in the foot in the tight title race with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, setting themselves up for losing the full three points from the moment the whistle for kick off blew, thanks to Ancelotti.
For some reason, the Don eschewed his best defender of the current campaign, Raul Asencio, in order to start David Alaba at center back. Even though Aurelien Tchouameni has been poor in central defense this season, he had a great game on Wednesday night against Real Sociedad, so going with Alaba, in hindsight, looks like an even worse decision.
Raul Asencio is superior to David Alaba
Alaba may not even have been the worst defender in the Real Madrid back four, but the larger point is that Ancelotti started two veteran center backs in an important LaLiga game and benched his best defender, whose young legs would not have needed any sparing for the Atletico Madrid battle on Tuesday night in the Champions League.
Basically, Ancelotti started an inferior option at center back and paid the price, as Alaba struggled to offer any progression or passing threat at the back, while he and Rudiger were roasted alive by a young, hungry Real Betis attack that was in total control of this game.
Then, in the second half, Carlo took David Alaba out in the 58th minute, potentially rectifying his initial wrong. But instead of even doing that, Ancelotti actually made things worse by subbing in Eduardo Camavinga for Alaba, moving Tchouameni to center back, and pretty much guaranteeing that Real Madrid were going to lose this game by remaining out of control.
It is baffling how slow Ancelotti is to trust young players, even when they are clearly the best option from both a skill and motor standpoint. Raul is, right now, the best defender at Real Madrid on the ball, off the ball, athletically, and at reading the game. He works hard, he makes interventions, and he creates chances from out of nowhere with gorgeous through passes.
Meanwhile, Tchouameni isn't a center back, Rudiger is maddeningly inconsistent, and Alaba is very likely finished as a starter at the Real Madrid level. Ancelotti got this one wrong big-time, and even an amateur sitting on the couch could have called this one from a mile away.