Always with his legendary phlegm, sure of his tactical knowledge, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is one step away from fleshing out his legend a little more with a fifth coronation in the Champions League, against Dortmund on Saturday, which would crown his admirable management.
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At Wembley on Saturday against Dortmund, the most successful coach in the history of the premier competition of European football could confirm his nickname “Mister Champions League”, gleaned from a career full of success, particularly on the benches. of AC Milan and Real Madrid.
A sign of his longevity at the highest level as a player and as a manager, Ancelotti is already the only man to have won the Champions League in five different decades (1980′, 1990′, 2000′, 2010′, 2020′).
This season, the Italian technician, with brushed white hair and a black suit, led, at the age of 64, Real Madrid to a treble (Liga, Champions League, Spanish Super Cup) which bears the seal more than ever of his pragmatic, but terribly effective football.
The only coach to have been crowned in the five major European championships (Liga, Premier League, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga), this “quiet leader”, the title of the French translation of his biography, has (re)made the Spanish giant a formidable winning machine, which has only suffered two defeats in 54 matches in all competitions.
“ Like father and son »
Adored by his players, “the man who whispers in the ears of the stars” was able to reinvent himself and adapt his tactical plan to highlight his new star recruit, Jude Bellingham, behind the Brazilian arrows Vinicius and Rodrygo.
A profitable choice, coupled with perfect management of egos and skillful management, which allowed Real to overcome all obstacles, even when everything seemed lost like in the semi-final against Bayern Munich (led 1-0 in the 87th minute , 2-1 victory).
“ I believe our greatest strength is that he finds a way to let us play with freedom. We are a little unpredictable. Humanly, he transmits to us a lot of calm and confidence », Estimates Jude Bellingham about his coach.
“ We are like father and son », summed up Brazilian defender Eder Militao after the celebration of the Spanish champion title, where the proximity of Ancelotti, cigar in mouth and sunglasses, with his players was captured by cameras around the world.
The Italian technician managed to support the emergence of his young talents (Bellingham, Camavinga, Tchouaméni…) while involving his aging elements (Modric, Nacho, Vasquez…) at the appropriate time, during a season weighed down by wounds.
Experience and confidence
His greatest success is certainly to have – once again – shaped a team knowing how to suffer to win, orphaned by a superstar since the departure of Karim Benzema, by transmitting unparalleled confidence to his men.
“ He invented a new system, the team was a rock despite the absences in key positions, I can’t think of a better coach for Real Madrid “, said former player Alvaro Benito, who has become a much-listened commentator, on Cadena Ser radio.
“ The injuries we had at the start of the season helped us understand that the way to overcome them is not individuality, but the collective », recalled Ancelotti on the eve of Madrid’s La Liga coronation.
“ And the matches we can’t win, we must not lose “, he summarized in February.
Real’s European journey illustrates this mantra well: Ancelotti’s men are close to a 15th C1, having so far won only two of their six matches in the elimination phase, against Leipzig in the first leg ( 1-0) and Bayern on the return (2-1).
“ The players had a season that no one expected. Reaching the final is a success and then we’ll see what happens » assured the Italian, surely impatient to be able to toast another victory cigar in the streets of the Spanish capital.