Real Betis Vs Real Madrid, La Liga: Forwards Key To Defensive Improvements, Says Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti said Real Madrid's forwards have improved defensively in recent weeks to turn his side into a more solid outfit in their bid for the La Liga title this season. (More Football News)

Madrid's star-studded front line, which includes Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jud🐬e Bellingham, have all ��impressed in front of goal for Los Blancos.

Between the quartet, they have netted 39 of Real's 54 goals in LaLiga this teꦿrm, helping them to the summit of the standings, but level on points with Barcelona. 

Indeed, this season, only Athletic Bilbao (22) and Atletico Mad🐬rid (16) have conceded fewer goals than Real (23), who have kept back-to-back clean sheets in the league. 

And Ancelotti believes that their defensive improvement has been helped by his forward players' wo🔯rk rate at both ends of tꦺhe pitch. 

&ꩲquot;We have talked about it many times. No✨t just with Vinicius Jr, with everyone. And they agreed," Ancelotti told reporters.

"It has obviously changed in the last few games. Since the game against Atletico Madrid (on February 9), the d🎀efensive improvement has been evid🍎ent. 

"Vinicius is helping a lot. It has changed the team a lot, because the strikers are working hard. The team is more soliꦕd."

Real travel to the Estadio Benito Villamarin to take on in-form Real Bet🀅is, who have won their last two fixtures in the Spanish top-flight, as many as they had managed in their previous 12 in the competition (W2 D5 L5). 

Manuel Pellegrini's side have also been boosted by having on-loan Manchester United forward Antony available, with the Brazilian seeing t𒅌he red card he picked up against Getafe last week successfully overturned. 

Real have not won on either of their last tw❀o away trips in LaLiga (D1 L1), and have not gone three or more matches away from home without a win in the competition in the same season since May 2023. 

Though Betis are seventh in the table and 19 points behind Real, Ancelotti said he would not field a weakened team to kee🦂p the squad fresh for their Champions ꦜLeague round of 16 first-leg tie against rivals Atletico on Tuesday.

"We're coming into this game with good momentu🙈m, but 🎶so is Betis. There's a lot at stake for both teams," Ancelotti said.

"The team's dynamic is good. We've done well by changing, rotating. What worries me is the strength of the rival, not our injuries. It's a m🅠atch in which anything can happen🐠...

"I'm going to field the best team beಞcause these are three vital points for LaLiga, without thinking about Tuesday. It's a very complicated match."