Ancelotti Calls For Calm After 1-1 Draw With Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, has called for calm after Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente scored in stoppage time to cancel out Brahim Diaz’s first-half opener for his club as they drew 1-1 in LaLiga at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.

The Spain midfielder rescued a point to keep Atletico’s faint title hopes alive and stopped Los Blancos opening up a wider lead on second-placed Girona.

Brahim Diaz, who replaced the injured Vinicius Junior just before the game, opened the scoring for Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Llorente’s leveller means Madrid are two points clear of Girona, who drew against Real Sociedad on Saturday, and 10 points above Atletico in fourth.

Reacting after the match, Ancelotti said: “The team has to be calm, we’re leaders with a two-point advantage. We have another chance to make a statement win next Saturday.”

Girona visit Real Madrid next weekend in a title showdown made even juicier by Llorente’s vital contribution.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti pulled Vinicius out of the starting line-up after he suffered neck discomfort before the game and deployed Diaz in his stead.

“After the warm-up (Vinicius) was not comfortable,” said Ancelotti.

“The two options were Brahim and Joselu, and Brahim let us keep the same defensive system.”

The coach also lined up with full-back Dani Carvajal in the centre of defence as Antonio Rudiger was not fit to start and both Eder Militao and David Alaba were injured.