Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti claimed his side’s 2-1 Champions League semi-final first-leg defeat at Juventus on Tuesday was “not such a bad” result.
The reigning European champions, who won the title for a 10th time last season courtesy of a 4-1 extra-time victory against rivals Atletico Madrid in Lisbon, will have to come from behind in front of their own fans at the Santiago Bernabeu next week.
Former Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata put the newly-crowned Italian Serie A champions in front on eight minutes with a close-range tap-in after goalkeeper Iker Casillas had pushed Carlos Tevez’s angled strike into his path.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 76th Champions League – to become the tournament’s outright leading scorer ahead of Lionel Messi – on 27 minutes with a header.
However, Juve secured a slender lead to take to the Spanish capital when Tevez fired in from the penalty spot after being fouled in the area by right-back Dani Carvajal on 57 minutes.
Former Juve coach Ancelotti was not happy with his return to Turin but is confident his side can turn things around with use of their vital away goal when the sides meet up again in Madrid next Wednesday night.
He said: “We made more mistakes than normal, that was because of Juve’s pressing. Their line was higher in the second half.
“But we’ll be confident because we are playing at home and the fans there will help us. We have to be patient. The result is a negative one but not such a bad one.”
Real Madrid are 3.75 to go on and retain their Champions League title this season, while Juve are 6.50.
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