The line from a Real Madrid star that may have saved Carlo Ancelotti’s job

Real Madrid might not be perfect, as evidenced by Rayo Vallecano breaching their defence three times last weekend, but they have turned things around. Since their damaging defeats to Barcelona and AC Milan, Los Blancos have improved in terms of work-rate, attitude and results.

The catalyst for that change was a team talk held by Carlo Ancelotti. With talk of the Italian losing his job, Marca say he reprimanded his players two days after the game, asking them to turn things around. His key message, which he has repeated in public, was ‘We have to reach Christmas alive.’

Before Real Madrid’s Intercontinental Cup win over Pachuca, Ancelotti was also asked if he had lost control of the dressing room. The Italian laughed the idea off, but it was an idea that had been circulated by the local press at the time, amongst an array of other gripes that were serialised after their 3-1 loss to Milan.

Evidence that he has not came from veteran star Luka Modric. The 39-year-old captain might not be as key as he once was, but he also rallied his teammates after Ancelotti’s speech. ‘We do not let the manager fall,’ was his message to his teammates. One they appear to have taken on board.