Real Madrid News
Serie A club CEO waxes lyrical about Carlo Ancelotti: “He is the greatest, period”
AC Milan are set to face AC Monza for the first time in Serie A history later this evening. It promises to be a special game for Monza CEO Adriano Galliani, who had spent 31 years as the chairman of Milan before returning to his hometown club in 2017.
Ahead of the game, Galliani spoke to Diario AS about various topics, including his time with current Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti was the AC Milan manager from 2001 to 2009, helping the Rossoneri secure two UEFA Champions League titles, along with one Serie A title.
Galliani hailed the Italian’s exploits in the game, reminding that apart from winning four UCL titles as a manager, he had also lifted two as a player at AC Milan.
“With Carlo they are wrong. They say that he has won four Champions League titles, but there are six! With Milan, he also raised two as a player,” he said.
“He is the greatest, period. Nobody won the top five leagues and I think we will never see anything like it again. Only he can do something like that,” he added, praising the Real Madrid manager.
Ancelotti had indeed won two Champions League titles with AC Milan. a club he represented 160 times before retiring in 1992.
Galliani added that he maintains an excellent relationship with Carlo Ancelotti. He also admitted his love for Real Madrid, praising club legend Alfredo Di Stefano, in particular.
“With Carlo, we continue to have a great relationship. And, furthermore, Madrid has always been special to me. I already told you that, as a child, I was moved by Di Stefano and, as a director of Milan, I was moved every time I ran into him at a meal. That is unforgettable,” he added.
Real Madrid News
Inter Milan boss Chivu praises Mourinho ahead of Real Madrid showdown: ‘A special person’
Inter Milan head coach Cristian Chivu has described Jose Mourinho as “a special person” ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League meeting with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Romanian spent two seasons playing under Mourinho at Inter between 2008 and 2010, a period that culminated in the club winning the Champions League at the very same stadium in 2010.
A serial winner
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Chivu reflected warmly on his former manager.
“He’s a special person who I was lucky enough to meet in my life. He gave me important help during a difficult period of my life, and I’ll never forget that,” Chivu said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Chivu also praised Mourinho’s ability to influence the teams he manages and instil his mentality in his players.
“He’s very good at immersing himself in the reality of the team he represents and transmitting his mentality. He’s a winner who knows how to communicate things at the right moment. Very few people know how to do that like he does,” he said.
“He has won everywhere he has been, and I’m sure Real Madrid will have a great season.”
Despite his admiration for Mourinho, Chivu insisted that the Portuguese has not served as a template for his own coaching career.
Asked whether he takes inspiration from his former manager, the Inter boss replied: “I’ve never copied anyone. I have my own idea of football, which has been built through my years as a player and as a coach.”
Chivu assesses Mourinho’s Real Madrid
Chivu believes it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid.
“It’s still very early. It has been a fairly balanced start, although they lost their last match undeservedly because they played very well,” he said.
“They’re a team with a great history and a coach who knows how to do things.”
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone”
With Mourinho in the dugout and Chivu in defence, Inter defeated Bayern Munich in the 2010 Champions League final at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The now-Inter manager believes returning to the stadium where they lifted the trophy 16 years ago will provide a special occasion, although he knows the challenge facing his team.
“The stadium has been renovated and it’s even more beautiful. It has a great tradition and today it’s more beautiful and more modern. We like playing a Champions League match in this stadium,” he said.
“Playing at the Bernabeu is not easy for anyone. Inter haven’t won here for 60 years. We’ll do everything possible and we want to show that we’re competitive and that we have the desire to dominate.
“There’s no perfect way to play against Real Madrid because they have players who can make the difference regardless of the plan you have.”
Inter arrive in Madrid after recovering from a difficult game against Napoli, while Chivu prepares to face the coach who played such an important role in his career.
