UEFA Champions League final: days before final are to be enjoyed, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti advises his players
- The 64-year-old Italian is heading into his ninth Champions League final – including his sixth as manager and third with Real
- The fear will come, says the only man to win the trophy 4 times, ‘but before it does, I’m going to enjoy it’.
The best advice Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti can give his players as they prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final is to enjoy the moment, he said on Monday.
Heading into his ninth Champions League final – his sixth as a manager and third with Real, who are bidding for a record-extending 15th European crown and sixth in 10 years – the 64-year-old Ancelotti believes his players have the experience to cope with the emotions.
“It is a week to enjoy. The challenge, the opponent … We’re going to enjoy it until Friday. Reaching a final is always a success,” the Italian told a news conference on Monday.
“We have a lot of confidence. As for being favourites, we don’t think about that. We have to play against a team that has done very well in eliminating PSG … Atletico Madrid. They have shown commitment and attitude.”
Known for his calmness and tactical acumen, Ancelotti is one of the most successful coaches in the world, the first manager to win titles in each of Europe’s top five leagues.
When he was lured back to Madrid for a second spell in 2021 following the departure of Zinedine Zidane, he knew his only mission was to increase Real’s trophy haul.
