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Champions League | Group Stage
Nov 4, 2014 at 7.45pm UK
 
Liverpool logo

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Carlo Ancelotti: 'Liverpool problems are bigger than Mario Balotelli'

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti says that misfiring Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is wrongly being scapegoated for the Reds' early-season woes.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that Liverpool's problems run far deeper than Mario Balotelli's goalscoring woes.

The 24-year-old has come under fire after producing a string of lacklustre performances, having scored just twice in 12 games since securing a £16m move from AC Milan.

The Reds have subsequently struggled as last season's runners-up in the Premier League sit seventh in the table after dropping 16 points already.

Although admitting that Balotelli's profligacy is a problem, Ancelotti, whose side face Liverpool in the Champions League tonight, says that there are plenty of other issues to address in the team.

"Balotelli is spoken of a lot, maybe too much, he has quality," he told reporters. "He is at a side where they're not playing well having lost Luis Suarez who scored a lot.

"They need another solution, but I don't think all of Liverpool's problems are Balotelli. He needs to do his work for the side. That's all that can be asked of him."

Kickoff at the Santiago Bernabeu is scheduled for 7.45pm.

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Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures during the UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg football match Real Madrid CF vs FC Bayern Munchen at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on April 23, 2014
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TeamPWDLPTS
1Inter Milan541013
2Barcelona540112
3Liverpool440012
4Atalanta532011
5Arsenal531110
6B. Leverkusen531110
7Brest531110
8Monaco431010
9Sporting Lisbon531110
10Aston Villa43019
11Dortmund43019
12Bayern53029
13AC Milan53029
14Atletico53029
15Man City52218
16Juventus42117
17Lille42117
18Celtic42117
19Dinamo Zagreb42117
20Feyenoord52127
21Benfica42026
22Real Madrid42026
23Brugge42026
24PSV41215
25Stuttgart41124
26Sparta Prague51134
27PSG51134
28Shakhtar41124
29Girona41033
30Salzburg51043
31Bologna40131
32Sturm Graz40040
33RB Leipzig50050
34Red Star40040
35Slovan Bratislava50050
36Young Boys50050


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