Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti declared a confrontation with Hansi Flick on the FC Barcelona bench after the Catalans crushed his team in El Clasico on Saturday.

Barca now hold a six-point lead at the top of La Liga after defeating their arch-rivals 4-0 at the Bernabeu.

For Ancelotti, however, the teams were evenly matched until the visitors’ goals came as Madrid finally played with the intensity they had long craved while also being able to find the back of the net.

“When they scored it took all the energy out of us and it was just another game. We took risks and had a lot of duels,” said Ancelotti.

“I liked the first half. It is a difficult moment and we must continue to fight and fight. The team held up well in the first 60 minutes. The season is very long, we must not give up but learn. We did it last time.’ And now we’re going to do the same thing and try to come back and compete. In my opinion, the season is not serious enough to throw everything in the trash.

With Madrid caught offside 12 times, Ancelotti regretted not being able to take advantage of Barca’s high defensive line as Mbappe scored twice but his attempts were ruled out.

“He had chances to score. He was offside several times, but that’s normal with this line so far forward,” Ancelotti noted.

Ancelotti was involved in a frank exchange of views with the Barca bench at one point in the brawl and spoke to Flick both after the incident and during the game.

When asked to shed light on the dispute, Ancelotti explained that “something happened with the assistant, not with Flick”.

“He wasn’t a gentleman while celebrating and I told Flick I didn’t agree with that.”

After losing their unbeaten record at the Bernabeu, Madrid must now shake themselves off and try to get back on their feet.

Valencia are next at Mestalla on Saturday, a few days before Ancelotti hosts his former club AC Milan in the Champions League.