Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has named his most unforgettable games during his two stints at the club. Prior to El Clasico scheduled for Sunday (May 11), he shared the same in the pre-match press conference.
Ancelotti is on the verge of an exit from the club. The upcoming clash will be his last El Clasico in this tenure, as reports have linked him to a move to Brazil, and Xabi Alonso has been rumored as the one to fill in his boots. On the eve of the game against Barcelona, he said (via Madrid Xtra):
Ancelotti is regarded as the most successful manager in the UEFA Champions League. He has won five titles – two with AC Milan and three with Real Madrid. Notably, the three games he has mentioned are the UCL finals he won at Los Blancos.
His first UCL triumph for the Spanish side came back in 2014. The final was played in Lisbon against arch-rivals Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid won that game 4-1.
In 2022, during his second stint, he took them to the final once again. His side faced Liverpool in Paris and emerged victorious. Vinicius Junior scored the solitary goal of the fixture.
The third UCL title came in 2024 against Dortmund in a jam-packed Wembley Stadium in London. Thanks to goals from Dani Carvajal and Junior, Ancelotti’s side once again conquered Europe.
Ancelotti won three titles in the 2023-24 season at Real Madrid – LaLiga, Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Champions League. However, the next season did not go in favor of the Italian.
In the 2024-25 campaign, Los Blancos were defeated 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final by Barcelona. A few days before that loss, they were knocked out of the UCL by Arsenal (5-1 on aggregate) in the quarter-finals. The only hope remains in the form of LaLiga.
The fixture against Barcelona on May 11 will be the most crucial one for Ancelotti’s side. If they manage to secure a win, they will have just a one-point deficit against table-toppers Barcelona.
A defeat will, however, build a seven-point gap from the pole position. This deficit will be tough to overturn in just three games, provided they have to look at Barcelona and the outcome of their games.
Ancelotti, at the end of the season, will leave the club. As per reports in the media, he is expected to take charge of the Brazil national team.
Sattyik has been following the sport since his childhood as his parents are ardent Mohun Bagan supporters and also members of the club. He has, however, been supporting their rivals East Bengal since 2008. He was also part of a local football academy, specializing in central defense, but had to switch focus to studies. Among European teams, he follows Manchester United and their stalwart captain Nemanja Vidic.
Sattyik has interviewed multiple footballers like Alberto Noguera, Javier Siverio, Edu Bedia among others. He is always on the lookout for new stories and strives to share them within appropriate timelines.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are Sattyik’s other favorite footballers. Among managers, he admires Sir Alex Ferguson, Xabi Alonso, Carlo Ancelotti, Johan Cruyff and Jose Mourinho because of their achievements and how they revolutionized the sport.
Sattyik was inspired by the grit and determination shown by Liverpool in the 2005 Champions League final as they came back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to win the trophy. When not working, he enjoys his time with books and music.
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