Ancelotti aims to rally humiliated Real Madrid at lowly Alaves

MADRID :Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, reeling from a 3-0 mauling at Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, must rally his players for Sunday's trip to Alaves where they will aim to end a three-game winless run in all competitions.

Following an almost flawless campaign last season in which the Madrid side won the Champions League and LaLiga titles with only two losses across all competitions, London's midweek debacle was already Real's 11th defeat this term.

After last weekend's home defeat by Valencia in LaLiga that left Ancelotti's side four points behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Leganes on Saturday with eight games remaining, Real face a must-win game at Alaves with their title defence faltering.

They have been struggling for consistency all season and slumped to big losses away to Liverpool, at home to AC Milan and twice against Barca, who are on cloud nine after playing some of the best football supporters have seen in Europe this season.

Watching an imperious Barcelona side in the driving seat as odds-on favourites to win the treble makes Real's pain even more excruciating because many fans and pundits were expecting the polar opposite when the season started.

While Barca have been struggling with financial problems for the last few years, Real have set the bar sky high with six Champions League titles in a decade and expectations were huge following the signing of France captain Kylian Mbappe.

However, as Real and their new 'Galactico' struggled to find their mojo, Barcelona have sprung into life under the guidance of former Bayern Munich and Germany manager Hansi Flick, playing a highly entertaining, attacking style of football.

They are on a 23-game unbeaten run in all competitions and the only team in Europe's top-five leagues yet to lose in 2025.

Boosted by midfield maestro Pedri and an attacking trio of striker Robert Lewandowski, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Brazilian stand-out Raphinha, Barca have scored a stunning 145 goals in 48 matches so far in all competitions.

While Real struggled, Barca thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

If they reach the Champions League final, the Catalans will have 13 games left to chase the 190 goals Pep Guardiola's Barca scored in the 2011-12 campaign, a European record many thought was unreachable with Lionel Messi scoring 73 times that season.

Real need to get things together quickly as they have to work a miracle next week at the Bernabeu to fight back against Arsenal to stay alive in the Champions League before bracing themselves for two much-anticipated clashes against Barca.

The Spanish giants will meet in the Copa del Rey final on April 26 before they clash again at Barcelona on May 11 in a crucial game that could decide the LaLiga title.

Third-placed Atletico Madrid, eliminated from the Champions League and Copa del Rey, have lost ground on the leaders after taking four points from 12 in their last four games.

Three points behind Real and seven adrift of Barca, Diego Simeone's side host last-placed Valladolid on Monday as they look to keep their slim title hopes alive to avoid a fourth consecutive season without winning a trophy.