Real Madrid will need to play with intensity for 90 minutes and not just the first half if they are to have a chance of beating Barcelona in Sunday’s La Liga ‘Clasico’, according to Real coach Carlo Ancelotti.
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Ancelotti praised his side for their performance before the break in Sunday’s 2-0 win at home to Levante but said he was concerned by the way his players relaxed and let the visitors off the hook in the second period.
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A Gareth Bale double, his first goals in 10 matches, had put Real in control by halftime and they appeared to be cruising to a big win but Levante pushed Real hard in the second half and had chances to get back into the game.
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It was not the dominant performance Real needed to silence their critics after three matches without a win but at least meant they will only be a point behind Barca when they run out at the Nou Camp.
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“The whole team showed more desire and focus and they all understood what they had to do,” Ancelotti told a news conference.
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“We did that in one part of the match and on Sunday we need to do that for the whole match,” added the Italian.
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“We played with confidence in the first half, the second worries me a bit.
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“We were more relaxed and played a more horizontal game. We lacked verticality.”
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Bale, in particular, looked like he had a point to prove against Levante after he was one of the players targeted with whistles by Real fans upset with the team’s recent poor form.
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Ancelotti said Bale’s resurgence may have something to do with the return to action of midfielder Luka Modric, who he played with at Tottenham Hotspur, after a four-month injury layoff.
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