Adult, but in front of you: Do yourself a favor, do not try to stop Carlo Ancelotti Israel today

A few weeks ago Massimiliano Allegri dropped a bomb.

In an interview with an Italian magazine, the esteemed coach said that last summer he had already signed a contract to coach Real Madrid, but the next morning he regretted it.

"I called Florentino Perez and told him I was sorry, but I decided to sign for Juventus," he said.

So yes, Carlo Ancelotti, the man who marched Real Madrid to the championship and could lift it to the Champions League final tonight, was not at all in Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's plans, following the resignation of Zinedine Zidane.

It was only after Allegri had turned down the generous offer (by the way, this was the second time he had given up an opportunity to coach the Blancos) that the Real president turned to Ancelotti.

Type of default.

No one in Madrid has of course forgotten that "Carletto" was the one who marched Real to win "La Decima", the tenth Champions Cup, in 2014.

When Real beat Atletico Madrid 1: 4 in Lisbon in overtime.

But that was a long time ago, and with all due respect to Ancelotti's incredible resume, in recent years he has no longer been in the forefront of coaching in Europe.

Ancelotti seemed to be a little behind.

Young coaches, energetic and modern, overtook him in the round without signaling: Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino.

Ancelotti.

Made a living in Naples and Everton, Photo: Reuters

After being sacked by Bayern Munich in September 2017, the big teams are no longer courting him.

Napoli gave him a chance, but the affair ended after a year and a half, when Napoli were defeated 4-0 by Genk.

Everton is also making a living

Carlo was not personally bad in Naples.

And the truth is that the feeling was that he was enjoying life, and maybe even a little too much.

"It's the best city in the world to go on vacation," he said.

I would train in the morning and in the afternoon I would get on the yacht. "Only the results were disappointing.

The next stop was Liverpool.

But not the group, but the city.

Everton are a respectable team in England, but in recent years they are at best a mid-table team.

Fact is, she finished with Ancelotti in 12th and 10th places.

And this season she is fighting against relegation.

Even at Everton Ancelotti enjoys life.

In an interview with Jorge Valdano he said: "Everton fans are amazing, I really liked them. We finished the first season with 60 points, it was a miracle."

In his second season Everton finished with 59 points and missed out on participating in the Conference League by 3 points.

Yes, this was Ancelotti's life until a year ago: enjoying life in a team that all she wants is to qualify for the Conference League ...

Ancelotti celebrates with the actors.

Again on stage that big, Photo: IPI

And just then, when the veteran coach seemed to be in the twilight of his career, working in unfashionable teams - the surprising phone call came from Florentino.

And unlike Allegri, Ancelotti did not hesitate at all when Real Madrid called on him to return.

An old and successful generation

True, Ancelotti is not a tactical genius like Pep or Klopp.

He is soon 63 years old and belongs to the older generation.

Hardly caught, but he reached the Champions League semi-finals in four different decades!

The first time it was with Juventus, in 1999, that is, in the previous century.

In the next two decades he reached the finals and also won with Milan and Real Madrid.

And here we are in 2022 and again Carlo Ancelotti in the semi-finals.

And here's another record that belongs to Ancelotti: he is the only coach who has coached no less than eight different teams in the Champions League: Parma, Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, Passage, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Napoli.

The only one approaching him is Rafa Benitez, who has done so with six different teams.

And let's not forget, "Carletto" was also a great player, winning the Champions Cup twice as a Milan player, in 1989 and 1990.

Ancelotti with Benzema.

Great appreciation from the actors, Photo: IPI

Habi Martinez, the Spanish midfielder, has played for Bayern Munich for both Pep Guardiola (64 games) and Ancelotti (42 games).

And there is no better way to compare the two.

"Carlo is the best in the world"

"Carlo is like a father, and takes care of his players," Xavi Martinez said.

"Pep is much tougher and spends hours on video analysis. That does not happen with Carlo, who is a smart coach. He always knows what the team needs. And he knows better than anyone how to get the best out of the players. In terms of feeling he gives his players, Carlo is the best of all." .

Martinez added: "For me Carlo and Pep are the best representatives of two different generations. From Ancelotti's generation no one is left. Pep is the best coach of the generation that includes Klopp, Pochettino, Tuchel and Luis Enrique, who changed football. And they are so different from Carlo. "

Carlo Ancelotti.

Unique and special, Photo: EPA

"The fact that at his advanced age Carlo is still there, struggling for the most important titles, puts him on the Olympus of football history. It says a lot about his greatness and the excellent work he does."

"He came back to Madrid and brought back to life a team that lost Sergio Ramos and Rafael Varane after losing Cristiano Ronaldo. A lot of people doubted him at the start of the season. It doesn't happen anymore."

Unlike coaches with a developed ego, like Mourinho and Guardiola, Ancelotti is less important than the image, than the ego.

"Call me Carlo," he always tells everyone - the actors, the journalists.

Ancelotti said: "I listen to my players."

In other coaches such a statement would be perceived as a weakness.

For him, it is just the opposite.

Ancelotti will always shower compliments on his players after victories.

When asked if he was not worried that Real was hanging on too many mornings to Nazma, he replied: "I am proud to be dependent on the best player in the world."

And he will always give players a sense that he is in their favor.

When Danny Sebaios said he was not getting enough minutes, Ancelotti said: "He's right. I was not fair with him."

After losses, such as the 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in the last Clasico, he immediately takes full responsibility.

"Blame only me," he said after the defeat to Xavi and his players.

"I made the mistakes that made us lose."

Ancelotti and the Napoli players.

Always in their favor,

But let there be no misunderstandings, Ancelotti is an up-to-date coach, despite the somewhat archaic image he has.

No one wins a championship in the Spanish league just because he is pleasant-mannered and a good psychologist.

And let’s not forget, next to him is his son and assistant, Davida, who is a tactician of supreme grace.

And he also brought to the team Antonio Pintos, the fitness coach who worked at Inter and is considered one of the best in the world.

Before Canada there is another petty matter

The fact that veteran players like Krim Benzema and Luka Modric are in incredible shape towards the end of the season, after receiving very little rest over the past few months, is no coincidence.

When Real Madrid beat Espanyol on Saturday, Ancelotti recorded another unprecedented achievement.

He became the first coach in history to win championships in all five major leagues: Italy (Milan), England (Chelsea), Germany (Bayern Munich), France (PSG) and now Spain as well.

Ancelotti has two more years on his contract, and it's hard to see him not continuing, even if Real do not qualify for the Champions League final.

And what are his plans after that?

"After Real Madrid I will probably retire," he told Italian television.

"But if Real want me for another 10 years, I will stay another 10 years."  

"I want to spend more time with my grandchildren, go on vacation with my wife. There are places I have not been to yet and I want to visit: Australia, Rio is Geniro. Because of work at the moment it is not possible, but one day I will retire and then I can do all things "Also visit my sister more."

And there's one more thing he might do - coach the Canada national team.

And there is a special reason for this.

Marian Barna McLay, his wife, was born in Canada and the couple have a home they purchased in Vancouver.

"Who knows, maybe I will coach Canada in the World Cup that it will host together with the USA and Mexico in 2026.

Why not?

I would be very happy if that happens, "he said.

Carlo Ancelotti.

The final is just around the corner, Photo: EPA

But ahead of Canada there is another petty matter: to beat Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final rematch and then also beat Liverpool in the final in Paris on the 28th of the month.

If that happens, Ancelotti will become the first coach in history to win the Champions League four times.

Apart from him only two other coaches have won the Champions Cup three times.

Bob Paisley did so with Liverpool in 1977, 1978 and 1981.

He was followed by Zinedine Zidane, who won with Real Madrid three times in a row, between 2016 and 2018.

Ancelotti won the Big Ears Cup twice with AC Milan, in 2003 and 2007, and then came that lift with Real Madrid 8 years ago.

A final against Liverpool will be very spicy for "Carletto".

Not many remember, but after Liverpool sacked Brandon Rogers in October 2015 and looked for a new manager, they had two main candidates: Klopp and Ancelotti.

Both were then unemployed and unemployed.

The Liverpool management chose Klopp - and did not regret for a moment.

Modric together with Ancelotti.

The coach knows how to appreciate what he has in his hands, Photo: Getty Images

So as everyone has already realized, behind the smiles and paternal ease, behind the nonchalant and calm demeanor, behind the jokes and the raising eyebrow, is a cannonball football coach.

Not sophisticated, not modern - but Carlo Ancelotti is one of the greatest of all time.

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