Atlético Madrid head coach Diego Simeone has on Tuesday moved to reveal his appreciation for the talents of Real Madrid counterpart Carlo Ancelotti.
This, of course, comes ahead of the upcoming showdown between the two tacticians.
The latest edition of the Madrid Derby is due to play out in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
With the tie finely poised following a 2-1 Real Madrid triumph in the tie’s opener last week, Atlético will act as hosts, with a place in the competition’s quarter-finals on the line.
Speaking to the media in his pre-match press conference, the subject of the task awaiting he and his side against the wily Carlo Ancelotti was in turn put to Diego Simeone.
And Atléti’s headmaster could not have been much more complimentary in his response, explaining:
“I spent a lot of time in Italy, he was born in Italy. The reasons are basic and based on experiences in Italian football.
“It’s clear that Ancelotti is much better than me.”
💬 Diego Simeone, sobre los parecidos con Ancelotti: "Pasé mucho tiempo en Italia, él nació en Italia. Las razones son de base y de experiencias vividas en el fútbol italiano"
❗️ "Está claro que Ancelotti es muchísimo mejor que yo" pic.twitter.com/CnJUrPQ1l8
— Mundo Deportivo (@mundodeportivo) March 11, 2025
Conor Laird – GSFN