Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has noted that in terms of philosophy, there is little to separate him from opposite number Diego Simeone. On Wednesday at the Metropolitano, Simeone will become the manager that Ancelotti has faced more than any else, meeting the Atletico Madrid manager a remarkable 27 times.
Ancelotti explained he had plenty of respect for the Argentine coach, who is likely to go down as the greatest in Atletico’s history.
“He is a great coach and we have a very similar idea of football. I have great respect for this coach.”
“The matches against Atletico have always been competitive, sometimes they have won, other times we have… It will be competitive.”
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Neither was he willing to give any insight into how he saw Simeone approaching the game.
“I can predict it, but I prefer to focus on what we will do, because Atletico can play in many ways, offensive, defensive, counterattacking… Just as we can”.
After a fast start, Simeone’s side took control of the ball after Real Madrid’s fast start, but decided to drop back and defend deeper in the final third of the match. Ancelotti was asked if he felt the managers would be more decisive or the players, having noted earlier in his press conference that a well-timed change could swing the tie.
“The players are always responsible for the victory, and also responsible for the defeat… That is not a problem for Madrid, it happens everywhere, the coach is always clear about it, the coach is responsible, we have known this for a long time… For me it is fine, I am in a very beloved job and I think it is fair that I have the responsibility that I should have.”
If it comes down to a penalty shootout, then Ancelotti wants the players who are most confident rather than the most technically gifted.
“We want to play in the quarter-finals, whoever it is. Retaking a penalty is difficult in training. We know who would go in the shoot-out. In training… you can see how a player takes it, if he takes it better than another… When we make the list of penalties we take into account what we saw in training, if he is more precise, confident, if he looks at the goalkeeper or not… When the shoot-out comes, the mental aspect is very important.”
“The mental aspect is more important than the technical aspect. I have had very good players in taking shots who then did not have the feeling to do it in a shoot-out. I have won the Champions League with defenders like Nesta, Serginho… taking the penalties, who were well prepared. If the player is honest, he can raise his arm and say that he is not prepared, that is fine, you have to take responsibility if you are prepared.”
