MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid hopes some home comfort will help the team get over yet another embarrassing loss to Barcelona.
After losing 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday in Saudi Arabia, Madrid has a run of three home games over seven days.
The home run begins on Thursday against Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey last 16. Las Palmas visits on Sunday in La Liga then Salzburg on Jan. 22 in the Champions League.
“We are sad and disappointed,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “We have no option but to look forward and try to regain the good momentum that we had until this match against Barcelona.”
Madrid won five in a row across all competitions before the latest Barcelona loss. The Catalan side also routed Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in October in La Liga.
“We have to stick together, be a team and react the same as we did after losing to them in La Liga,” Madrid midfielder Luka Modric said. “We showed a reaction and I hope we will react to this tough defeat, because we didn’t think we would lose like this. It’s good that the Copa game is coming up soon and we won’t have much time for regrets.
“It’s not nice to see your greatest rival score nine goals in two matches. But I’m sure that we are going to recover. We need to remain united and keep working hard. We are still going to give our fans a lot of reason to celebrate. It’s a long season.”
Madrid is second at the halfway point in the Spanish league, one point behind city rival Atletico Madrid and five points ahead of third-placed Barcelona. In the Champions League, Madrid is 20th in the 36-team league phase of the competition.
Ancelotti won't count on forward Vinícius Júnior for the Liga game against Las Palmas because of a red-card suspension. The club's appeal of the player's two-game suspension was denied on Monday.
Ancelotti will also have to worry about fixing his depleted defense, which struggled mightily to contain Barcelona's attack on Sunday.
“We didn't defend well, that hurt us,” Ancelotti said. “They scored easily.”
The absence of players such as Éder Militão and Dani Carvajal because of injuries has forced the coach to improvise, especially in the right back position, and prompted the club to likely contemplate making new signings in this transfer window.
Barcelona follows the Super Cup by hosting Real Betis on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey last 16. Hansi Flick's squad has won three in a row this year after losing its last two in 2024.
Also on Wednesday, red-hot Atletico visits second-division club Elche looking to extend its 14-game winning streak in all competitions, already a club record.
Defending Copa champion Athletic Bilbao hosts Osasuna on Thursday, while Rao Vallecano visits Real Sociedad.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti gives instructions from the side line during the Spain Super Cup final soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts during the Spain Super Cup final soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Real Madrid players leave the pitch after the final soccer match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
MILAN (AP) — Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso left his role by mutual consent on Friday, three days after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
The Italian soccer federation announced the news in a statement thanking Gattuso “for the dedication and passion” during his nine months in charge.
Italy’s chances of reaching this year’s tournament in North America ended on Tuesday after a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualifying playoff.
“With pain in my heart, not having achieved the goal we had set ourselves, I consider my experience on the national team bench to be over,” Gattuso said.
Gattuso’s departure comes a day after Italy’s soccer federation president Gabriele Gravina resigned along with Gianluigi Buffon, who was the national team’s delegation chief.
The defeat to Bosnia added more misery for four-time champion Italy after being eliminated by Sweden and North Macedonia, respectively, in the qualifying playoffs for the last two World Cups.
Gattuso took over from the fired Luciano Spalletti in June with the squad already in crisis mode following a defeat at Norway in its opening qualifier.
Spalletti had also overseen a disappointing European Championship campaign in 2024, when titleholder Italy was knocked out in the round of 16 by Switzerland.
“I would like to thank Gattuso once again," Gravina said. "Because, in addition to being a special person, as a coach he has offered a valuable contribution, managing to bring enthusiasm back to the national team in just a few months.
“He has conveyed great pride in the national team jersey to the players and to the whole country.”
Under Gattuso, Italy went on a six-match winning streak before another loss to Norway in November to finish second in their group and end up in the playoffs again.
Gattuso had been given a contract until the end of this summer’s World Cup, with an automatic renewal until 2028 if Italy returned to soccer's biggest stage.
“The Azzurri shirt is the most precious asset that exists in soccer, which is why it is right to immediately facilitate future coaching staff decisions,” Gattuso said.
“It was an honor to be able to lead the national team and do so also with a group of boys who have shown commitment and attachment to the shirt. The biggest thanks go to the fans, to all the Italians who have never failed to show their love and support for the national team in recent months.”
Among those being mentioned to replace Gattuso are Roberto Mancini, Simone Inzaghi, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.
Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021 then failed to get the Azzurri to the next year’s World Cup before bolting to take over Saudi Arabia’s national team. He left that role in October 2024 and is currently coach at Al-Sadd in Qatar.
Inzaghi steered Inter Milan to the Serie A title in 2024 and now manages Saudi club Al-Hilal.
Conte coached Italy at the 2016 European Championship and is currently at Napoli.
Allegri is coach at AC Milan.
Italy will play two friendly matches in June but is unlikely to have a new coach by then, given that the election for a new FIGC president won't take place until June 22.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso greets Federico Dimarco during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso directs his team during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures from the touchline during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso gestures from the touchline during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)
Italy's coach Gennaro Gattuso walks off the pitch after losing in a World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)
