Ancelotti wants Bayern to bounce back from Champions League exit

Carlo Ancelotti has called for Bayern Munich to focus on trying to win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double after the disappointment of their Champions League exit to Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo struck a hat-trick to send the holders through to the semi-finals 6-3 on aggregate after extra time, but the defeat was controversial as Arturo Vidal was harshly dismissed with the scores level and two of Ronaldo’s goals were offside.

Bayern are eight points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table and face a Klassiker cup semi-final with Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, with Ancelotti demanding renewed focus from his side.

“We have a great opportunity tomorrow to show a reaction,” Ancelotti told reporters ahead of Saturday’s home league game against Mainz.

“The Champions League was an important competition for us, but unfortunately it is over. Now we have to get the championship title as soon as possible and get to the cup final. 

“Our full focus now has to be on the #Bundesliga and the #DFBPokal,” says @MrAncelotti. #FCBM05 pic.twitter.com/mP8CwIT7t3

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) April 21, 2017

“All games are important now, we are still in two competitions, we have a good starting position in both. Especially tomorrow, because we want to show our quality, although we may be sad after leaving the Champions League.

“This is normal, that one is dissatisfied afterwards. Above all because of the circumstances in which we are exhausted, because our performance was good, but the result was not good. We were just about to move into the semi-finals – and at the Bernabeu. We should draw self-confidence from it.

“We have accepted the outcome, but we also analysed what was wrong on the pitch. Everyone has seen the mistakes by the referee’s team. We were close and had little luck in these games.”

More on Manuel Neuer’s leg injury.

https://t.co/lOG4okN0Be pic.twitter.com/XKKoj9r3Y8

— FC Bayern US (@FCBayernUS) April 21, 2017

Bayern will be without injured goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the remainder of the season, but Ancelotti backed the Germany international’s replacement Sven Ulreich to thrive and offered a glimpse into his team selection plans.

“Mats Hummels is okay, he trained without problems,” Ancelotti added.”I will leave Jerome Boateng and Javi Martinez out because they continue to have minor problems. Against Dortmund they should be fit again.

“All other players have recovered well after the match against Real. Tomorrow it is important that we show a good response.

.@MrAncelotti on the goalkeeper situation following @Manuel_Neuer‘s injury: “Sven #Ulreich has shown how good a goalkeeper he is.” #FCBM05 pic.twitter.com/uvuy8Ux4bF

— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) April 21, 2017

“We are very sad that Neuer will not play anymore. He will hopefully recover well for next season. Nothing has changed, we have absolute confidence in Sven Ulreich. He has also shown good games. And nothing will change in our system.

“We have some young players who have not often played this season. But we have great confidence in these players. Joshua Kimmich, Kingsley Coman and Renato Sanches will certainly be the future of the club. We must also take into account that the older players have also played a great season with their experience.”