Ancelotti, the best coach in the world: "I had personal problems with Gattuso"
And Ringhio replies: «It all happened when he was coaching Napoli, I arrived in December and the press began to say that the team was physically ill. But Carlo knows that I have a lot of respect for him, both on a human and football level"
Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real
Elected best coach in the world (ahead of Pep Guardiola and Morocco coach Walid Regragui) by the world federation of football statisticians, Carlo Ancelotti spoke in Riyadh where his Real Madrid face Valencia tomorrow for the Spanish Super Cup, a challenge in Saudi Arabia where to definitively launch football they want to do things big.
Even with the friendly, repeatedly announced by the local media, on Thursday 19 between Paris SG and a mix of the best players from Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr. In the intentions of those who organize, and those behind it, it should be yet another challenge, the first on Saudi soil, between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but Al-Nassr coach Rudi Garcia pointed out that he could not guarantee the presence of CR7, who according to him should make his debut in the league match on Sunday 22nd. We'll see if they can make him change his mind, in the meantime the word has passed to Ancelotti for this challenge which for him is double as on the other bench there one of his players at the time of Milan will be that Rino Gattuso with whom the Real coach said today he had spent «very good moments, we won two Champions Leagues. After that, the relationship hasn't always been good - Ancelotti added -, because we had some personal problems, but I don't want to talk about them». And again: «From that Milan that I coached - he continued - many coaches came out, each with his own style: Gattuso, Pippo Inzaghi, Nesta... Gattuso's teams are very intense, he gives a very clear". A joke about another of his former players, Cristiano Ronaldo, is inevitable. «He and Bale (who has just announced his retirement ) were legends of our club - the words of the Real Madrid coach - and I wish them the best. However, the best demonstration of what they want now in Saudi Arabia is the presence of Cristiano here".
Gennaro Gattuso's reply was not long in coming: «Ancelotti knows that I have great respect for him, both on a human and football level. The problems between us were at a work level, but for me he remains one of the best coaches in the world. It all happened when he was coaching Napoli, I arrived in December and the press began to say that the team was physically ill. The problem arose from this, I personally have great respect for Carlo».
