Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has emphasized the critical nature of the current LaLiga title race, stating that teams have "reached a point where you can't slip up" as three Spanish giants find themselves separated by just a single point at the top of the table.
The tight competition sees Atlético Madrid with 50 points preparing to face Valencia on Saturday, while Barcelona, holding 51 points, will travel to Las Palmas. Real Madrid, level on points with their Clásico rivals Barcelona, are set to host Girona on Sunday.
Despite Real Madrid's impressive 3-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League midweek, their domestic form has been less than stellar this month. The club has been embroiled in controversy over refereeing decisions and will face Girona without key player Jude Bellingham, who is suspended following a red card at Osasuna.
"It's a game in an important moment of the season," Ancelotti stated during Saturday's news conference. "We played well against City, and we have to repeat that. We've reached a point where you can't slip up."
The Italian manager addressed Real Madrid's recent LaLiga struggles, including a 1-0 loss at Espanyol on February 1st and subsequent 1-1 draws against both Atlético and Osasuna. "We've had a bit of bad luck," Ancelotti explained. "In the three games we played quite well, less so against Espanyol, more against Atlético, and better against Osasuna with ten men. We have to keep going. If you play well and have a good attitude, the results will reward that."
Ancelotti praised LaLiga's competitive nature, distinguishing it from other European leagues. "It's difficult to find a more competitive league than Spain," he remarked. "In Italy there aren't many teams competing [at the top], and in England there's Liverpool. Here, there are three teams with one point between them, teams of a very high level. It's a league that will be decided in the last game."
The competition is set to intensify further following Friday's Champions League round-of-16 draw, which paired Real Madrid with Atlético Madrid. This creates a challenging schedule for Atlético, who will now face Real Madrid twice and Barcelona three times in the coming weeks. Ancelotti acknowledged the magnitude of these upcoming matches, stating, "It will be difficult, as it always is against Atlético. It will be a nice tie, entertaining. It's evenly matched. The last two meetings have been two draws, and that means the quality of the two teams is similar."
