Carlo Ancelotti makes ‘cheating’ claim following Liverpool’s loss to Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti felt that Real Madrid were 'cheating' on a psychological level as they piled more European misery on Liverpool.

The Reds suffered Champions League defeat to the Spanish giants for a fourth time in six years following a 6-2 aggregate loss in the last 16 of this season's competition.

Jurgen Klopp's side fell to a 5-2 defeat in the first leg at Anfield and faced an almost impossible task in the return clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. Yet Liverpool went down with a whimper as Karim Benzema's 78th-minute strike delivered Madrid a 1-0 victory and moved them into the quarter-finals with ease.

Ancelotti saluted how his side did not step their foot off the gas and give the Reds a sniff of forging an unlikely comeback.

The Real boss told Movistar (via AS): “Pressing up has cost them. [Luka] Modric and [Toni] Kroos handle this type of match very well. They get the ball out very well from behind. The team was fine, if not to change for the sake of changing. He wanted the changes to stop the game at the end. We played well every minute. Always concentrated. Without risking... well, we are happy.

“I liked the team. On a psychological level, it is cheating. We had a three-goal lead and we haven't slowed down on the accelerator”.