Carlo Ancelotti warned his Real Madrid defenders they must tighten up before an "intense" trip to Celtic after they battled to a win over Real Betis. And he has hinted that key striker Karim Benzema might be rested at Parkhead despite playing every minute of their season so far.
Ancelotti's team have started their La Liga title defence in flying form with four wins from four while also clinching the UEFA Super Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt. But there are some defensive issues simmering under the surface - they're yet to keep a clean sheet domestically and veteran boss Ancelotti is aware that could cost them in Tuesday's Champions League clash Glasgow.
Speaking after Brazilian duo Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. gave them a 2-1 win over Betis, Ancelotti was left irked by his defence after Sergio Canales took advantage of some sleepy defending to equalise in the first half. He said: “The goal we conceded today was a big mistake, when we weren’t paying enough attention. We do need to improve these situations.”
