Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid secured a thrilling 5-4 aggregate win over Chelsea yesterday, further proving that the Italian coach is quietly one of the best in the business.
The 62-year-old Italian coach took over Los Blancos last summer, taking over from Zinedine Zidane, and initial hopes were not high, with many anxious of what the future held. The former Milan coach has dispelled these doubts, doing well to guide Real Madrid to their 35th La Liga title and booking their place in the Champions League semi-finals.
Ancelotti’s CV is proof of his quality; the Italian coach is on course to become the first coach to win the league title in all of Europe’s top five leagues and he’s already the first coach to reach the Champions League semi-finals in four different decades (five if you include his playing career).
Unlike Jürgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola, Ancelotti does not have a specific philosophy he employs when coaching. Instead he adapts to the team available to him, seen with his more attacking Real Madrid side in the recent Chelsea clash and his incredibly defensive Everton during an injury crisis.
The Italian coach is a calm figure on the sidelines, is rarely outspoken in the press and generally keeps a low profile, meaning many casual fans don’t notice his quality from afar. Should he guide Real Madrid to their 14th Champions League title this season, however, things may change.