“No one thought that Real Madrid could reach the semi-finals”

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Football always offers revenge. After removing the thorn with the Chelseawhich knocked him out in the semi-finals last season, the real Madrid will now try to get even for the elimination he suffered against the Manchester City in eighths a couple of years ago, where those of Guardiola They beat the whites in the Bernabeu and in the Etihad Stadium by (1-2).

After linking three European Cups in a row, those of Zidane stayed in the gutter against the last two finalists of the Champions. Now Carlo Ancelotti is up to the mammoth challenge of eliminating both of them on their way to the final. Unlike Zizou, Carletto He knows English football, his favorite league, where he has worked for several years. The Italian is one step away from winning the League in Spainwhich will make him the first coach in history to win re-poker in the five major leagues in Europe.

But of all of them, Ancelotti feels a special predilection for the Premierwho won with Chelsea. His passion for soccer on the islands is such that he did not hesitate to sign for the Everton in 2019, a high-stakes choice for someone used to running aircraft carriers like the Milan, Bayern, PSG either real Madrid. But his passion for direct and round-trip football pushed him to embark on a project that dynamited the covid.

Balance with Pep

Carletto is measured at Guardiolacoach whom he respects and admires, but whom he will try to deprive of the coveted Champions who has spent years chasing with him City. Six times they have faced each other on the bench with a significant statistic: four times they have won Pepfour with the Manchester when the Italian led the Everton. And twice he bent him Carlettoboth with Real Madrid, when the of Santpedor headed to bayern. Ancelotti, as a Real Madrid coach, has always beaten Pep, whose team was unable to score against him in 180 minutes (0-4 in Munich and 1-0 in Madrid). The two have stepped on the Champions League semifinals eight times, as Mourinhoand Carletto is the one who has won the most (three, to two from Pep and Jose), and the one who has played the most finals, with four, to three from the Catalan and two from the Portuguese.

The Italian has worked these days getting the ball out from behind in the face of the predictable suicidal pressure from the sky blues. The same one that unhinged Varana in his day. long balls of Courtois for what Benzema cut in the middle and extend the head, appearances of modric to go out playing, exits outside… Carletto, who has between cottons to Alaba, Casemiro Y Mendy. He admitted that the Brazilian has it complicated, the Austrian will be tested and the French will be in the eleven. The coach expects “an open game, but I think the tie will be decided in the Bernabeu”.

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Ancelotti believes that City have taken a step forward by adding a more cynical, more pragmatic record to their football. which allowed him to eliminate the Athletic resorting to that ‘other football’ less edifying, but so necessary when badly given. Ancelotti’s slate is chameleonic. He is a master at adapting his teams to the game conditions. Without going any further, Madrid has given a master’s degree against PSG Y Chelsea about how to suffer without resigning, to mutate and turn the game around with the inherent competitiveness of the Madrid shirt in Europe and that indomitable spirit. “No one thought that Real Madrid and the Villarreal they could reach the semi-finals” & rdquor ;, pointed out the Italian.

The Italian will continue making the company profitable Vinicius Benzema, but he doubts whether to shield the midfield with Valverde or include to Rodrygo in the 4-3-3. when this week Carletto met with his staff at Valdebebas They asked him about the planned plan and he replied with a smile and his usual snigger: “We’ll do what we always do. Attack when we have the ball and defend when we lose it.” You make it look so easy…



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