Days after becoming the first-ever manager to complete football's own 'Grand Slam', Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti created yet another history Wednesday night -- this time byĀ reaching a fifth UEFA Champions League final. (More Football News)
No manager has done it before him. Besides becoming the first man to lead four different clubs to the Champions League semi-finals,āØ the Italian is also one of only three managers to have won the tournament threeĀ times. Bob Paisley (with Liverpool in 1977, 1978 and 1981)Ā and ZinedineĀ Zidane are the two others.
Ancelotti, 62, last won the Champions League with RealĀ Madrid, helping Los Blancos end a wait of 12 years toĀ complete 'La Decima'. On May 29 at Stade de France inĀ Paris, Carlo Ancelotti can lift 'La Orejona' for anĀ unprecedented fourth time with a win against Liverpool.
Before Real Madrid's sensational win agašinst Pep Guardiola's City, 'Don Carlo' scripted remarkable come from behind wins over Lionel Messi's Paris-š¦¹Saint Germain and defending champions Chelsea in the previous rounds.
But in Jurgen Klopp's quadruple-chasing Liverpool, Ancelotti will probably face the biggest test this campaign. Liverpool, whoĀ defeated Villareal 5-2 onš aggregate, are in their third Champions League final inĀ five years.
This will be Klopp's fourth final -- 2013 with BorussiaĀ Dortmund, and 2018, 2019ź¦¬ with Liverpoolš -- a feat he now shares with Alex Ferguson and MarcelloĀ Lippi.
The title showdown against six-time championsĀ Liverpšool will bāe Real Madrid's 17th appearance in theĀ final. Liverpool have played nine finals.
Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp have aĀ 3-3 win-loss rš¹ecord against each other in ten previous meetings, including six in theā Champions League, three in English Premier League and one in FA Cup.
On a Wednesday magical night in Madrid, the 13-timeĀ Eurš§øopean Chaš§ømpions overturned a 3-4 first leg defeatĀ against Manchester City to win the tie 6-5 on aggregateĀ and set a final date with Liverpool.
Carlo Ancelotti š„has started his second with Real MadridĀ on a rousing note by winning La Liga title with fourĀ games to spare. Real Madrid hammered Espanyol 4-0 inĀ front of a jubilant Santiago Bernabeu crowd onĀ Saturday. This was Real Madrid's 35th La Liga title, nineĀ more than the second-most successful Barcelona.
In the process, the former Everton manager had becomeĀ the first-ever manager to win all five of Europe's majorĀ leagues -- Italy's Serie A with AC Milan (2004), France's Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain (2013), EnglishĀ Premier League with Chelsea (2010), GermanĀ Bundesliga with Bayern Munich (2017) and Spain's LaĀ Liga witź§h Real Madrid (2022).
Ancelotti, 62, last won the Champions League with RealĀ Madrid, helping Los Blancos end a wait of 12 years toĀ complete 'La Decą·“ima'. On May 29 at Stade de France inĀ Paris, Carlo Ancelotti can lift La Orejona for anĀ unprecedented fourth time.
Carlo Ancelotti first won the Champions League, then knownĀ as European Cup, as a player witš·h AC Milan in 1989 andĀ 1990. The former Parma and AS Roma midfielder wasĀ also part of the Italian national football team whichĀ finished third in š¦the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
Ancelotti won his first Champions League medal as a manager in 2003 after helping Rossoneri beat JuventusĀ on penalties after a goalless extra time. But AncelottiĀ and Milan were stunned by Liverpool iź¦n the 2005 IstanbulĀ final. Milan were leading 3-0 at half time, then lost on penalties.
Milan however got their revenge in 2007šÆ with a 2-1 winĀ over Liverpool in Athens, thus making CarloĀ Ancelotti oneą² of the most successful managers.Ā In the 2014 Lisbon final, Real Madrid beat city rivals AtleticoĀ Madrid 4-1 in extra time for their 10th ChampionsĀ League title with Ancelotti at the helm.
Real Madrid had since won three more titles under Zidane, in 2016 (vs Atletico Madrid), 2017 (vs Juventus) and 2018 (vs Livš§øerpool).
