At 62, Carlo Ancelotti is an old veteran among the coaches qualified in the European top 8: the Italian technician with three coronations in C1 is the oldest on the board, facing the fifties Pep Guardiola (51), Diego Simeone (51 ), Unai Emery (50) and Jürgen Klopp (54), facing Tuchel (48), or facing the representatives of the new wave of European benches, Nelson Verissimo (44) or Julian Nagelsmann (34).

Real Madrid's "Carletto" impressed in the first leg at Stamford Bridge and enters the second leg on Tuesday at Santiago-Bernabéu with a nice advantage acquired thanks to a hat-trick from Karim Benzema, as against PSG of Pochettino (50 years old) in eighth return (3-1).

Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti congratulates French striker Karim Benzema, who scored a hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain, in the knockout stages of the Champions League, on March 9, 2022 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium JAVIER SORIANO AFP/Archives

If Chelsea's individual errors also helped, the Spanish journalists had underlined in the post-match press conference the judicious choice to start Federico Valverde on the right, rather than Rodrygo.

Certainly less prominent than his right counterpart Vinicius Jr, who hit the crossbar and delivered a decisive pass, the Uruguayan displayed an overflowing activity, both as a winger and a midfielder, upsetting the Blues' attacking circuits.

"We played with the same system, but I had Valverde to muzzle Chelsea's left wing a bit," said Ancelotti.

"Valverde was very good. It all depended on the position of (left piston Cesar) Azpilicueta. If he stayed back, Valverde had to go up," he detailed.

"Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong"

A self-satisfaction all the more legitimate since the Italian also knows how to make his self-criticism very well, as after the clasico lost in March against Barcelona (4-0).

"I have no problem taking responsibility for this rout. We played very badly, I prepared the match very badly," he admitted bluntly.

But it is for his round and conciliatory method, already crowned with success in 2014 with a coronation in the Champions League on the Madrid bench, that Real returned to seek him last summer to succeed Zinédine Zidane.

Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti lifts the Champions League trophy after Real Madrid's 4-1 victory over Atlético Madrid in the final on May 24, 2014 in Lisbon Franck FIFE AFP/Archives

"I talk about football with the players, to understand what they think and what they like. But then it's me who makes the decisions. Sometimes I'm right, sometimes I'm wrong," he said. -he summarized last week, from the top of his very great experience.

If Madrid manages to climb into the last four again, the story will be good for the Italian, well ahead of La Liga and on the verge of becoming the first coach to win the 5 major European championships.

An almost unexpected return to the forefront for the 62-year-old technician who seemed to have lost track after his first stint in the Spanish capital (2013-2015), from where he was curtly sacked, barely a year after winning the "Decima", the 10th C1 in Madrid history.

Revenge on the holder, Chelsea

A short stint at Bayern Munich (2016-2017), then in Naples (2018-2019) and an attempt to revive with Everton (2019-2021), a club of very low standing, raised fears of a slow decline.

Until his return to Madrid.

Will he still be part of the project next year, when the club does not hide its intention to renew its workforce this summer with prestigious signings?

Ancelotti, under contract until 2024, is doing everything for it, despite recent criticism from the lost clasico.

The former AC Milan or Juventus is used to flammable contexts, a quality that could inspire Tuchel, facing a unique season after British sanctions targeting Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Seizing revenge on the reigning European champions, who ousted Real in the semi-finals last year, on Tuesday would make Ancelotti's season a success, even if the eyebrow-raised Italian knows football too well to 'ignite.

Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti during the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea on April 6, 2022 at Stamford Bridge Stadium in London Glyn KIRK IKIMAGES/AFP/Archives

"We clearly have an advantage, but the confrontation is still open," he warned.

© 2022 AFP