Ancelotti against Simeone, the most demanding derby

He’s on his way Atlético de Madrid to be the team he faces the most Carlo Ancelotti in his successful career as a coach, and Diego Simeone is the coach who has measured the most and demanded the most. The only loser real Madrid this course. And on two occasions. He was left without a Copa del Rey. A front marked in the past by the great event in Lisbon that leaves the chapters full of equality.

“This is one of the most difficult confrontations because Simeone manages the team very well and organizes the matches very well,” confessed Ancelotti before a new match against ‘Cholo’, the twenty-fourth, with the former balance of the highest parity: nine wins for each and five ties.

Except for two games in the group stage of the 2016-17 Champions League under the command of Bayern Munich, the rest (21) are Madrid derbies (eight wins, five draws and eight losses). And ‘Carletto’ never did Simeon in The league in his first episode at real Madridwhere they tied on one occasion and suffered three defeats, two of them at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium that failed the path to what, at that time, was the only title missing in their long history.

The revenge of Ancelotti It remained for history. The unforgettable tenth European Cup for Madrid fans. Six and a half years passed until LaLiga regained the pulse of the historic coaches who made it better. And it didn’t take long for ‘Carletto’ to get his revenge, clearly winning his first league derby, 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu with goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio in December 2021.

The less painful defeat will take place in the second round, three days from the end, with the title in his pocket, the desired great European League that the Italian is missing, and there are rounds thinking about a ‘ Champions’ final coming back to conquer. .

Since, Charles has conquered the Metropolitan in the domestic competition, eliminated in the last edition of the Cup in extra time in Athletic within Bernabeu. The same path to his last victory, in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup on January 10. However, along with a one-goal tie on loan last Liga when Real Madrid buried its options in February, two recent blows appeared.

The first brought harsh criticism to Ancelotti for his approach without 9 in the Metropolitan despite the absence of the Brazilian Vinicius. That 3-1 on the sixth matchday and the ongoing rumors of the Brazilian team’s interest in the Italian coach put the Madrid coach in the spotlight. The day his team left the worst image in a derby, clearly surpassed by the strategy of Simeon.

Nothing to do with the last precedent, when the Spanish Super Cup was won in Riyadh in an extra time where the Atlético de Madrid He took advantage of Madrid’s mistakes to beat them in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey.

“He is one of the rivals for whom I have a lot of respect because of Simeone’s ability to read the games,” admitted Ancelotti, who has always heaped public praise on the Argentine. These tactical stratagems by ‘Cholo’ forced the team’s veteran coach to reinvent himself. real Madrid.

He changed his formation to go 4-3-3 in the first period, changing to a 4-4-2 in the Lisbon final. He returned to the offensive trident in the second period until the arrival of Jude Bellingham and the unexpected return to the famous ‘Christmas tree’ (4-3-2-1) in the first round derby that failed at the Metropolitano.

Success returned with the four-midfielder formula and the diamond for Bellingham’s freedom of movement, which had never been decisive in a derby. In a real Madrid no pure 9, with freedom of movement up top for the Brazilians Vinicius and Rodrygo. A formula to stick to in a fight faced with the possibility of dealing a blow The league before accepting Girona. With the great memory on the wrist of Ancelotti against Simeone for the Italian of his dominance in the most prestigious competition, the Champions League, which he wants to transfer to the domestic competition in the most demanding derby.