Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has insisted he was satisfied by the team's performances in pre-season, but confessed they showed huge weaknesses which must be corrected.
Madrid kicked off with a 3-2 victory over AC Milan and a confident 2-0 triumph over Manchester United, but were comprehensively beaten by both Barcelona and Juventus to round out the summer.
After conceding six goals across the final two games, Ancelotti confessed that defending has proven to be his side's weak point this pre-season.
"We showed two sides," Ancelotti explained. "Very good offensively, but defensively, the team is not used to defending in a diamond. "We have conceded many goals. Three [against Juventus], three from Barcelona, there was a lack of balance and we need to fix it.
"It's the easiest thing to improve. Above all, it's a problem of positioning, concentration and attitude. We were good at pressing up top and weak on the low block. It's obvious from the last two games. Lowering the block may be an option to consider. We are not used to this fragility."
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Asked to grade his side's pre-season, Ancelotti responded: "A six [out of ten]. Because there are things to try. It's good that it's obvious what needs to be fixed."
He continued: "It's an obvious lack of balance. It improves with better positioning and collective work. We push a lot and if you get out of pressure there are more spaces. I pushed them a bit, I wanted to see how the team behaves in this situation."
Madrid now have nine days to prepare for their La Liga opener against Athletic Club in San Mames, and Ancelotti insisted he is not yet considering a move away from the new 4-1-2-1-2 formation which has yielded mixed results.
"In San Mames we will see, I think [the formation will stay]," he concluded. "We have time to work, especially defensively. Offensively, the team likes it a lot."
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This article was originally published on 90min as Carlo Ancelotti scores Real Madrid's pre-season out of ten.
