Carlo Ancelotti: "We have faltered for the first time in a competition."

Real Madrid lost to Celta Vigo on Sunday. After the match, the coach addressed the loss in his press conference.

We gifted them with two goals. Then we tried to score and control the play. We have a lot of players missing, including some very important ones, so this was not an easy game to prepare for. We are disappointed because we cannot win the league. It is the first competition we have lost and we cannot be happy about it.

Nevertheless, the coach defended himself and his players from accusations they had taken their opposition too lightly in a weekend when results elsewhere in the league could have given Madrid an opportunity to become front-runners in the league race, had they managed a win.

I don't think we threw the league away. It is true though that we haven't played well in the last three games. After the semi-finals our intensity dropped and we've been made to pay dearly. Now is not the time to look at what we have failed to do well. We have to look forward, recoup our energy, and our [injured] players in order to prepare well for the final.

.Ancelotti confirmed that Gareth Bale is recovering well, singled out Sami Khedira and Alvaro Arbeloa for exceeding his expectations in terms of their performance on their joint return from injury, and (when asked) stated he has no interest in who wins the league title.

All that interests Carlo Ancelotti, is Lisbon.