Real Madrid too busy to listen to outside noise ahead of Arsenal clash

VIDEO SHOWS: REAL MADRID PRESS CONFERENCE AND TRAINING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SHOTLIST AND SCRIPT

SHOWS: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 7, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. REAL MADRID HEAD COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID HEAD COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, SAYING:

"We can’t think about the criticism when we have a match every three days. We failed in the match against Valencia. We analysed and assessed that. Like I said after the match the other day - we have to prepare well for this match. It’s obviously very important. A very important 90 minutes. But not decisive because there’s another 90 (to play) at the Bernabeu."

3. WHITE FLASH

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID HEAD COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, ON ARSENAL HEAD COACH, MIKEL ARTETA, SAYING:

"He arrived here when I went to Everton in 2020. In five years he’s brought this team to the top of Europe and he’s doing very well. Above all, he’s built a complete team. There’s not many complete teams in Europe. There’s lots of teams that do some things well. But complete teams like Arsenal, there’s not a lot of them."

5. WHITE FLASH

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID HEAD COACH, CARLO ANCELOTTI, ON VINICIUS JUNIOR'S FORM, SAYING:

"I haven’t spoken to him because I don’t need to. I know perfectly well he could have played better but when he thinks he hasn’t played well, he does really well in the next match. I’m convinced he’s going to have a great game tomorrow."

7. ANCELOTTI LEAVING PRESS CONFERENCE

8. REAL MADRID GOALKEEPER, THIBAUT COURTOIS, ARRIVING AT PRESS CONFERENCE

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID GOALKEEPER, THIBAUT COURTOIS, SAYING:

"I’m good. I had a little issue. It was something day-to-day that took a little while (to heal) but I’ve been training for a few days now and it’s all good. So, I’m 100% fit. As for the team, I think we need to push on. We need to shift gears after the loss. It’s the Champions League now and we need to put in a good performance tomorrow and try and get a win."

10. WHITE FLASH

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) REAL MADRID GOALKEEPER, THIBAUT COURTOIS, ON HIS INTERNATIONAL TEAMMATE, KEVIN DE BRUYNE, LEAVING MANCHESTER CITY, SAYING:

"For sure he's one of the best ever players to play in Belgium national team and with the Belgian nationality. Also in the Premier League, I think obviously winning six premier leagues, I think what he gave to City, I guess he's one of the best players also to have played in the Premier League. And obviously last time we were in the national team, I kind of felt maybe that he was going to move on. So, it was not entirely (a) surprise to hear him say this now last week. But yeah, I'm sure he's a great player and one of the greatest in the Premier League. And obviously, yeah, I hope next year also with Belgium he can still be at the highest level and that we can reach the World Cup and have a great World Cup together."

12. COURTOIS DURING PRESS CONFERENCE

13. VARIOUS OF ANCELOTTI PASSING BALL AROUND WITH COACHING STAFF AHEAD OF TEAM TRAINING SESSION

14. ANCELOTTI ADDRESSING PLAYERS IN TEAM HUDDLE ON PICH

15. HUDDLE BREAKING/ WING-BACK, LUCAS VAZQUEZ, FORWARD, KYLIAN MBAPPE, AND, MIDFIELDER, EDUARDO CAMAVINGA WALKING

16. PLAYERS WALKING ACROSS TRAINING PITCH

17. MIDFIELDERS, ARDA GULER, AND, LUKA MODRIC, TALKING

18. GULER, MODRIC AND FULL-BACK, FRAN GARCIA, JOGGING DURING WARM-UPS

19. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS WARMING UP INCLUDING, DEFENDER, DAVID ALABA, FORWARD, RODRYGO, MIDFIELDER, JUDE BELLINGHAM, DEFENDER, ANTONIO RUEDIGER, FORWARD, ENDRICK, FORWARD, VINICIUS JUNIOR, CAMAVINGA AND MBAPPE

20. ANCELOTTI

21. GARCIA AND MODRIC JOGGING

22. RONDO DRILL

23. VARIOUS OF VINICIUS AND MBAPPE DURING RONDO

24. MBAPPE PASSING BALL/ WIDE OF RONDO

25. MIDFIELDER, FEDERICO VALVERDE, DURING RONDO/ MODRIC DURING RONDO

26. WIDE OF RONDO

STORY: Real Madrid have set the bar sky high with six Champions League titles in a decade and their demanding fans have been voicing concerns as last year's European and Spanish champions struggle for consistency this season.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti seemed unfazed by the clamour from outside, however, as Real prepare to visit Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday (April 8).

"We can't think about criticism when we have a game every three days," Ancelotti told a press conference on Monday (April 7).

"What we do is analyse each game and prepare for the next one. Tomorrow's game is very important but it's only the first 90 minutes of the tie. It is not decisive because there are another 90 minutes to be played at the Santiago Bernabeu next week."

Following an almost flawless campaign in which they won the Champions League and LaLiga titles with only two losses in all competitions over the entire season, expectations were massive following the signing of France captain Kylian Mbappe.

But Real have struggled to find their mojo, losing five LaLiga games and a few in other competitions, including two heavy losses to bitter rivals Barcelona who they face in the Copa del Rey final this month.

Following a disappointing 2-1 home defeat by Valencia on Saturday, Real are second in the LaLiga standings on 63 points, four behind Barca with eight games left.

Ancelotti, however, is confident after knocking out Manchester City in the Champions League playoffs and local rivals Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

(Production: Conal Quinn, Gerhard May)