Ancelotti takes a walk down memory lane
HISTORY returns for Carlo Ancelotti when he steers Napoli against Liverpool tonight in the Champions League to rekindle contrasting memories of his two finals against the Reds.
Ancelotti’s AC Milan lost one of the tournament’s most memorable showdowns in 2005 as Rafael Benitez-led Liverpool cancelled a 3-0 deficit before prevailing on penalties.
The Devils had their revenge two years later, edging the English side 2-1 to lift their seventh elite trophy. It was the second as coach for Ancelotti, who lifted his third at Real Madrid in 2014. He also twice won the European Cup, predecessor to the Champions League, as a Milan midfielder in 1989 and 1990.
With his elegant, laid down tone, Ancelotti this weekend recalled his first continental success at Milan’s helm in a penalty shoot-out against Juventus who, on Saturday, beat the 10man Neapolitans 3-1.
“I’ll just have to console myself by looking at the Champions League trophy from 2003,” he told an interviewer who asked him how he felt about the insults from fans at Turin’s Allianz Stadium.
“I don’t mind any more the chants against myself. But I was very disturbed by those against Neapolitans.”
Ancelotti, 59, is in his first season at Napoli after being sacked a year ago by Bayern Munich, where he won the 2017 Bundesliga title.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis hired him to continue on the path of Maurizio Sarri, who finished second behind Juve last season and is now enjoying a good season start at Chelsea. Last week he beat Liverpool 2-1 in the League Cup and drew 1-1 in Premiership action.
The match in Naples brings back memories also for Jurgen Klopp, who was coaching Borussia Dortmund in 2014 and tackled Napoli in the group phase, losing 2-1 away and winning the return 3-1.
Liverpool top the domestic chart next to Manchester City and began the European campaign in brilliant fashion, snatching a last-gasp win against French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
| dpa European Cups while Barcelona have fallen at the quarter-final stage each year.
They have failed to win at difficult away grounds with Atletico Madrid, Juventus, and last season Roma, proving too much for them.
They only won one match in the Champions League away fromhome last season and that came from an own-goal from Suarez’ international teammate and former Liverpool teammate SebastianCoates against Portugal’s Sporting.
Suarez remains Messi’s best friend o ff the field.
If he gets on the scoresheet at Wembley he can lead the way on that call to not allow the number 10 to carry the team on his own.
- Reuters