Those on the grass did not stop believing. On the bench, even less so. Logically, there is no written plan for a tie to be decided the way Real Madrid did, but the coaching staff led by Carlo Ancelotti knew and were convinced that the opportunity would appear. They had faith, confidence in a group that has been growing as the games have passed and overcoming adversity. Time was drawing to a closebut the confidence continued to exist, that which the Italian coach has managed to transmit to all his players except one, whose name is beside the point.
The idea that Ancelotti sent to his people was that of stand up to the endalive until everything was sentenced, that Nobody will lower their arms. He did it, as he did in the previous two qualifiers. He was convinced that Real Madrid’s moment was going to come out of conviction and because believes in the football of its players.
Ancelotti: “We’ve had it all: sacrifice, luck and energy”
one more march
The Italian knew that he had resources on the bench, that there were two players capable of putting that gear more, that it mattered little that of going out with the game started to be decisive. Rodrygo and Camavinga, each in their own way, have been growing during the season. Ancelotti has always trusted them and the opportunities have come hand in hand with the obvious improvement they have shown.
Ancelotti and his team have achieved something impossible in today’s football: the player believes in his coach. Secret? Sincerity and not creating false expectations in the players. The eleven that yesterday finished the game against City says it all: Courtois; Lucas Vzquez, Carvajal, Nacho, Vallejo, Mendy; Camavinga, Valverde, Rodrygo; Ceballos and Asensio. Only the goalkeeper and Valverde started the season as undisputed starters.
Champions League (second leg/semi-finals): Summary and goals of Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City
The players believe in him
And the best thing is that everyone responded. Five minutes like Vallejo, touching the ball just enough for Rodrygo to finish off and achieve the second goal as he did Asensio, Valverde and his waste for 120 minutes… the players believe in a coach, who speaks, but above all listens. Then he makes the decisions, but first he collects information.
In addition to winning, as he is demonstrating, the Italian is being able to carry out in the sweetest way possible an inevitable generational change in the center of the field that one day has to arrive. against City, Real Madrid turned the tie around without Kroos, Mordic and Casemiro on the field of play, the same ones who broke their faces from minute one and who will continue to do so, but everyone already knows that Camavinga, Valverde and Ceballos are behind them, something that was not known before.
RAC1’s anger with the white comeback: “This is not football, it’s a paranormal phenomenon”
Ancelotti’s record
With the elimination of Manchester City and Real Madrid qualifying for the final against Liverpool, Ancelotti adds another record in his career. A new record to add to the record of the Italian coach, who He has become the first coach to play five finals in the highest continental competition… just ahead Jrgen Klopp (who has four, one with Borussia Dortmund and three with the ‘reds’), whom he will face next May 28.
Ancelotti has previously contested the final with Milan (2003, 2005 and 2007) and with Real Madrid in 2014in the one in Lisbon that beat Atltico.
The other coaches with four finishes are Miguel Muoz (1960, 1962, 1964 and 1966 with Real Madrid), Marcelo Lippi (1996, 1997, 1998 and 2003 with Juventus) and Sir Alex Ferguson (1999, 2008, 2009 and 2011 with Manchester United).
