Davide Ancelotti, Real Madrid’s esteemed assistant coach, recently sat down with France Football to share his perspectives on the club’s dynamics, his coaching philosophy, and his future aspirations. Here are some notable quotes from the interview:
Will he coach Real Madrid one day?
“We signed with Real Madrid until 2026. We have many young players and the possibility of having a very strong team in the coming years. I want to start my career as a head coach, but I know that I am in the best club in the world, the best place to grow. There is no set date. It will also depend on the offers. I’m happy here; my family lives here, my wife is Spanish, I’m close to my father… You never know. The challenge doesn’t scare me; the goal is to become a head coach here one day.”
A Real Madrid squad with zero ego
“Our great stars have no ego. Vinicius, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Valverde… They are team players. They always put the team first. The veterans are not toxic; they are exemplary. Toni Kroos is a coach; he could explain perfectly to the team how to play against City. As a coach, it is not difficult to manage the veterans, but on a personal level, it is more complicated because Luka maintains the level at his age; he is always efficient when we need him. When the young players arrive, they are told that. Look at Luka, Toni, Carvajal, Lucas, Nacho… their level of professionalism, including training.”
The Ancelotti coaching duo dynamic
“My father has been training for 30 years and he adapts. He has known how to integrate young people into the coaching staff. We found a good balance. We have modernized the way of doing things so that my father can focus on the relationship with the players. There is a lot of trust, also with Francesco Mauri. Our role is simple: challenge him, challenge him. For me, giving my opinion is much easier because I am his son. He almost never gets angry in front of people; sometimes he leaves. He goes out to smoke and comes back. He is always the one who decides.”
Special instructions
“I look for details that can help the players, in the warm-ups. If they see what you told them before happens in the game, you have won. You have to know how to do four things to train: search, advise, control, and organize. I try to do a little of all that. My father likes changes, and I love commenting to the players on specific details. I always watch the last two games of our next rival. Before City, I looked at what Unai Emery had proposed.”
Tactical evolution this season
“We have to find improvements every week. This season we started with a diamond (4-4-2 in a diamond with a midfielder) and then we saw that we were conceding a lot of crosses and we rectified it. The team changes; that’s why it’s good to train, search, find. When you join a team, the priority is to carefully study the players you have. You have to have ideas to adapt, adjust all the time. It’s like watching a bonsai grow. If the first question of a club is what system you are going to use.”
Zinedine Zidane
“My experience with Zidane? His words reach the players perfectly. He has the ability to convey messages. He is reserved; he doesn’t talk much, but the message reaches perfectly. His humble side makes him greater, and winning three Champions Leagues in a row… is not easy. I loved his character.”
These quotes offer valuable insights into Davide Ancelotti’s perspective on coaching, player management, and his ambitions within Real Madrid.
