Champions League: Ancelotti backs Mbappe after penalty miss against Liverpool, Camavinga injured

Real Madrid lost 2-0 to Liverpool on Wednesday night, their third defeat in five Champions League matches. This result means that the reigning champions are in a precarious position in the league phase standings, as they currently sit in the final play-off position (24th place).

It was a disappointing night for Real Madrid, and as Marca reported, Carlo Ancelotti assessed his side’s performance.

“We did fine in the first half. We defended well as a unit. The transitions were good, but we made the wrong decisions with the final ball. We could’ve levelled it with the penalty. We will improve.”

Ancelotti also gave his public backing to Kylian Mbappe, who saw his penalty saved by Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher when the score was still 1-0.

“Kylian Mbappe has everyone’s support and will soon emerge from this difficult time. He is an extraordinary player, we must be patient. He’s doing well and adapting well.”

Real Madrid will now look to bounce back this weekend when they host Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu. They are back in Champions League action in two weeks as they travel to Atalanta.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga became the latest first-team player to suffer an injury at the club, after limping off the pitch in Los Blancos’ 2–0 Champions League defeat away at Liverpool.

The 22-year-old fell onto the Anfield turf, clutching his hamstring during a pursuit of opposing midfielder Curtis Jones, before gingerly walking off the pitch, with the help of a member of the club's medical staff.

Ancelotti has already seen his first-team squad ravaged by injuries this campaign, with defenders Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal both suffering season-ending injuries over the past month, while Brazilian forwards Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior are expected to be unavailable for the European champions until at least mid-December.

Any prolonged absence for Camavinga after tonight’s match will represent another unwelcome setback this season for Real. Earlier this week, Vinicius Junior directed a thinly veiled dig on social media towards the football governing bodies, responding to the club announcement of his injury with a post on X, mentioning the “crazy calendar.”

Before a two-week winter break begins on December 22, Real Madrid will play seven matches across the course of 21 days, starting from a fixture on Sunday afternoon at home against city rivals Getafe in La Liga. Ancelotti will hope that his squad stays intact over this period without any more significant injury misfortune before the end of December.

The club is currently second in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona with a game in hand.