Charles Ancelotti will doThe classic12th as coach of Real Madrid this weekend. Interestingly, he has clashed tactics with the four coaches in charge of Barcelona.
Ancelotti’s Madrid will visit Barcelona headquarters in the continuation of the 2022-2023 La Liga at Camp Nou, Monday (20/3) at the midnight IST. The result of this match could determine the direction of the title race.
Ancelotti certainly understands the meaning of El Clasico. Victory is Madrid’s target even though it will appear at the opponent’s headquarters.
El Clasico this time is very important for Madrid. Not just prestige, victory will also turn on Los Blancos’ chances of winning the title.
As is known, Madrid is still nine points behind Barcelona who topped the standings. Victory in the match will make the Spanish capital club close the gap to six points.
Ancelotti has a not-too-flashy record when playing El Clasico in various competitions. He loses more often than he wins.
Footem.in has summarized Ancelotti’s track record in El Clasico. Here is his record against four Barcelona coaches:
Gerardo Martino
Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino became Ancelotti’s first opponent in his El Clasico debut. The two coaches’ tactical battle took place in the 2013-2014 season.
It was Ancelotti’s first-period debut season at Madrid. In total there are three El Clasico presented in various competitions.
Of the two meetings in La Liga, Ancelotti had to acknowledge Martino’s superiority. His Madrid was defeated in home and away matches.
But Ancelotti managed to reply to these minor results when they met in the Copa del Rey final. Madrid managed to beat Barcelona with a score of 2-1.
Luis Enrique
One season later, Ancelotti got a new opponent in El Clasico. This time Luis Enrique replaced the sacked Martino.
In the 2014-2015 season, El Clasico was only presented twice in LaLiga. As a result, Ancelotti and Enrique beat each other.
Madrid was able to win with a score of 3-1 when acting as the host. But Barcelona replied at Camp Nou with a narrow score of 2-1.
3. Ronald Koeman
After stepping down at the end of the 2014-2015 season, Ancelotti has been appointed to manage Madrid again since June 2021. He is entrusted with replacing Zinedine Zidane, who was his assistant in the first term.
In the first El Clasico after the comeback, Ancelotti clashed tactics with Ronald Koeman. Remarkably, Madrid was able to beat Barcelona with a score of 2-1 at Camp Nou in the LaLiga event.
However, that was the only time Ancelotti and Koeman had met in El Clasico. Not long after, Barcelona kicked out the Dutch coach.
Xavi Hernandez
Xavi Hernandez then continues Koeman’s duties for the remainder of the 2021-2022 season. The former Barcelona mainstay midfielder had clashed tactics with Ancelotti twice in La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Ancelotti won his first El Clasico against Xavi in the Spanish Super Cup. Madrid beat Barcelona 3-2 after extra time in the semifinals.
However, Xavi later avenged the defeat when he met in La Liga. Unmitigated, Barcelona was able to beat Madrid with a score of 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The competition between the two continues in the 2022-2023 season. Ancelotti and Xavi have so far met three times at various events.
Madrid successfully beat Barcelona with a score of 3-1 at the inaugural meeting in La Liga. But the situation reversed when they met in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.
Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup after beating Madrid 3-1 in the final. The Blaugrana also managed to narrowly win 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.