Ancelotti faces crucial test as Real battle Pachuca in Lusail

Crisis is a word rarely associated with Real Madrid or their coach Carlo Ancelotti. However, the current season has tested that narrative. Following a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool in the Champions League in the last week of November, the Spanish giants have managed three wins and one draw in their last five matches across all competitions.Currently sitting third in La Liga with 37 points from 17 games, Real trail leaders Barcelona by just one point, although Barca have played an additional game.Their Champions League campaign, however, remains precarious, with automatic progression to the Round of 16 far from guaranteed.The season began on a high note with Ancelotti steering Madrid to a UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta. But inconsistency has since plagued a side that welcomed French forward Kylian Mbappe into their ranks after last season’s La Liga and Champions League triumphs. A humiliating 4-0 loss to Barcelona in October, disappointing performances against lower-tier league opponents, and Champions League defeats to Liverpool, AC Milan, and Lille have raised serious doubts about Ancelotti’s tenure. Despite signing a contract extension last year amid speculation linking him to Brazil’s national team, Ancelotti’s future beyond this season could hinge on securing major silverware.His current deal runs until 2026, but a trophyless campaign might spell the end of his second stint in Madrid.Tonight, Ancelotti has a chance to breathe life into his team’s floundering season when Madrid face Mexican side Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final at Lusail Stadium. Victory over Pachuca would see Ancelotti become Real Madrid’s most successful manager, surpassing the legendary Miguel Munoz, who won 14 titles during his tenure from 1960-1974.Ahead of the final, the 65-year-old addressed the intense scrutiny surrounding his team, explaining that football doesn’t always follow expectations, especially after such a successful campaign last year."As I said, I understand the criticism because Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League last season, then they signed the best player in the world in the summer. So everyone’s thinking it’s going to be a walk in the park. That’s not how football works. Football is about fighting in every game, understanding you can’t control everything all the time,” he said"We can’t control the results of the games. Sometimes you deserve to win and you don’t; others, you deserve to lose but you win. I think that’s the source of this criticism, the fact that this team had such a fantastic season last term and then signed the best player in the world. One plus one is two, but it’s not always the way it goes in football,” he added.Ancelotti acknowledged the challenge posed by Pachuca, saying: "Every game is a potential banana skin. Pachuca are here because they’ve earned it, beating Botafogo and Al Ahly. We respect their quality. Finals are emotional, and we have to ensure the team is well-prepared.”Madrid have endured significant injury setbacks, with defenders Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao sidelined long-term due to ACL tears, and David Alaba yet to return from a similar injury. Mbappe, Ferland Mendy, and Eduardo Camavinga are also dealing with short-term fitness issues. Vinicius Junior is also part of the squad having made his return from injury in Tuesday’s Champions League win in Bergamo.Mbappe, who has scored 12 goals this season, missed Madrid’s 3-3 draw with Rayo Vallecano on Saturday due to a thigh problem but has been included in the squad for the final against Pachuca. The France international, who trained yesterday at the Lusail Stadium, has primarily been deployed as a centre-forward at Madrid and is yet to rediscover the form that saw him score 44 goals for PSG last term.Ancelotti expressed cautious optimism about Mbappe’s availability. The Italian said: "It’s simple: yesterday he trained well, he felt good. He did some sprints and everything went well. Today is an important training session, where we will evaluate his feelings and the risk. If he is fine, after speaking with the doctors, he will play. If there is a minimal risk, obviously not. But his feelings yesterday were very good. We are optimistic.” Pachuca’s continental crown secured their place at the FIFA Derby of the Americas, which meant they still had two more games to win to reach this tournament’s showpiece. The Mexican outfit did just that, with a 3-0 reverse of Botafogo on December 11 at the Stadium 974, followed up three days later by a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Al Ahly after the match had finished goalless at the same venue. Their unshakeable belief and undoubted quality has carried Pachuca this far and makes it a fascinating match-up with Real Madrid.Pachuca coach Guillermo Almada highlighted the significance of the occasion, saying: "We’re coming into the game with a heavy load of matches and we’ve played a lot in different tournaments. We’ve had very few holidays. We’ve been trying to inject intensity into our game by refreshing certain aspects. It’s been going well for us and we hope to continue on this path.”He added: "It’s a final, and no matter who we’re up against... Real Madrid is one of the most recognised brands in the world. The most publicised. There are always rivals that provoke certain feelings, and without a doubt, a team of this calibre is one of them.”Almada also praised Ancelotti’s accomplishments while expressing his intent to deny the Italian coach another trophy. "What can I say about him? Any compliments I could offer, he has more than earned. He is currently one of the greats, with an impressive record. We will try to make sure that he is not the manager with the most titles in history,” he said."This is football. History doesn’t play the game; the teams on the pitch do. We’ll aim to defend our dream and compete against one of the world’s most iconic clubs. Real Madrid is a great team, but we must focus on our strengths.”