Coach Carlo Ancelotti dismissed talk of Real Madrid’s defeat to Barcelona in the United States on Saturday, insisting a friendly is nothing and does not reflect the quality a team needs to have when the regular season begins.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti dismissed the talk surrounding Real Madrid’s defeat to Barcelona in the US.

At a rain-soaked MetLife Stadium, Barca won 2-1 thanks to a Pau Victor brace. The La Liga and Champions League champions are yet to taste victory on their US tour, having lost 1-0 to AC Milan, but coach Ancelotti kept his cool as he told a post-Clasico press conference: “Don’t go crazy. These are pre-season games, we were missing eight players… It was a game of high intensity and good play. Obviously, we continue our preparation, little by little the players are coming back. The result is not as important as the players being in good shape. We use these games to gain more time and we continue.”

The Italian coach added: “The goal now is to play the players and have the players back from the holidays in good shape. With the number of important players missing, we can’t think about tactics or anything else, just getting the players in good shape. Tactically, we will work from 7-8, after we return from the US and have all our players.”

Ancelotti and Barcelona’s new coach Hansi Flick.

Despite turning 39 next month, veteran and new captain Luka Modric played the full 90 minutes against Barca. Ancelotti explained: “He came back well and had the fitness to play. I didn’t speak to him during the game, he was fine and played until the end.”

The three stars of the Brazilian national team have just joined the US, with centre-back Eder Militao starting from the start, Vinicius Junior coming on after the break and Rodrygo not playing. Coach Ancelotti said: “Rodrygo is a bit tired but I think the next match against Chelsea he can play half a half. Militao is back in good shape and Vinicius showed that he has been training during the holidays because he is in good form. It is good that the players are back in good shape and do not need to train much anymore.”

Real Madrid are yet to taste victory on their tour of the United States.

After the match against Chelsea in Charlotte on August 6, Ancelotti’s men will fly back to Spain and begin preparations for their first title attempt, facing Atalanta in the European Super Cup in Warsaw, Poland on August 14. Real Madrid’s 2024-25 La Liga season officially begins on August 18, with a trip to Mallorca.