Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is refusing to accept the La Liga title race is done and dusted having previously suffered Champions League heartbreak at the hands of Liverpool when he was in charge of AC Milan.
Karim Benzema scored twice after Vinicius Jr had opened the scoring as Madrid claimed a 3-0 win at Real Mallorca on Monday night. The victory helped them move further ahead of second-place Sevilla in the table.
Los Blancos have now opened up a 10-point gap at the summit. And with just 10 games left to play this season, Ancelotti’s side appear to be closing in on another title.
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However, the former Everton boss is refusing to consider the title race as a done deal, citing AC Milan’s 2005 Champions League final collapse as the reason why.
The Italian said: "Nothing changes. On Sunday [against Barcelona], we have to win and take advantage of the fact that the team is very well physically. I know how you lose a Champions League final when winning 3-0. It happened!"
Liverpool famously battled back from three goals down at half-time to produce one of the greatest sporting comebacks witnessed in the modern era at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul back in 2005.
Paolo Maldini opened the scoring before Hernan Crespo scored twice before the break to put Ancelotti's Milan team into an unthinkable position. However, Steven Gerrard inspired Liverpool to a spirited second-half comeback.
Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso all scored for the Reds to send the game to extra-time and then penalties. Jerzy Dudek was then Liverpool’s hero in the penalty shootout as they were crowded kings of Europe for a fifth time.
The Reds later won their sixth under European Cup in 2019 with Jurgen Klopp's side beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final in Madrid.
