Ancelotti unfazed by outside noise ahead of Arsenal clash

Carlo Ancelotti was unfazed by criticism of his Real Madrid team ahead of their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal on Tuesday. 

Madrid have lifted six Champions League titles in the last 10 years, though supporters have raised concerns about the team's struggle for consistency this season. 

They find themselves four points adrift of Barcelona in the LaLiga standings after they were beaten 2-1 by Valencia on Saturday. 

"We can't think about criticism when we have a game every three days," Ancelotti told a press conference on Monday.

"What we do is analyse each game and prepare for the next one. Tomorrow's game is very important, but it's only the first 90 minutes of the tie.

"It is not decisive because there are another 90 minutes to be played at the Santiago Bernabeu next week."

This will be just the third meeting between Arsenal and Madrid in European competition, following their last 16 tie in the UEFA Champions League in 2005-06.

Arsenal won 1-0 in the first leg away from home, before drawing 0-0 at Highbury in the second leg (1-0 on aggregate).

Madrid have not lost the first leg in any of their last eight knockout stage ties in the Champions League (W5 D3), their joint-longest run in the competition in first leg games.

But following an almost flawless campaign in 2023-24, when they won the Champions League and LaLiga titles with only two losses in all competitions over the entire season, expectations were heightened after the signing of Kylian Mbappe. 

However, they have struggled to replicate those displays, losing five matches in LaLiga alone as well as being beaten heavily by rivals Barcelona on two occasions. 

Ancelotti, however, is confident after knocking out Manchester City in the Champions League playoffs and local rivals Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

"If I didn't believe we were going to win titles this season, I would have quit already. I would consider a holiday," Ancelotti said.

"We are here to fight for all the titles until the end no matter what. If it doesn't work out, we have to think about next season, but that is not the case yet.

"The experience we have in the Champions League is very important. The knowledge means that you are not afraid of these matches, with this pressure."