Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti revealed that the team specifically targeted goalkeeper Ederson as a potential weak link in Manchester City’s lineup during their recent Champions League clash.
Despite City initially looking set for victory after Erling Haaland’s penalty, Madrid scored twice in the closing stages to secure a dramatic win at the Etihad Stadium.
Ederson had a mixed performance, making key saves but also being at fault for Madrid’s goals, including giving away possession before their equalizer and being caught out of position for another goal.
Ancelotti explained that pressuring Ederson to force mistakes was part of Madrid’s strategy, with the aim of capitalizing on any errors.
“We focused on pressing high when Ederson had the ball and adjusting our positioning when he didn’t, with the forwards moving inside and the midfielders maintaining a deeper position,” Ancelotti elaborated.
In a key moment, Ederson’s decision to kick long under pressure ultimately led to Madrid regaining possession and scoring the winning goal.
City’s manager Pep Guardiola defended Ederson’s choice, suggesting that the outcome could have been different regardless of the decision made.
“Eddy made a decision to play a long ball, which didn’t work out well, but it’s part of the game where decisions can go either way,” Guardiola commented. “Players have to make split-second choices, and sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t.”