Carlo Ancelotti discusses the legendary reputation of the Real Madrid shirt in European competitions before the semi-final.

Carlo Ancelotti, the head coach of Real Madrid, spoke to the media during a press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg match against FC Bayern München. Ancelotti, an Italian coach, expressed his admiration for the history and tradition of the Real Madrid shirt and the club’s success in the Champions League. He also acknowledged the challenge of playing against Bayern Munich, a club with a similar history and tradition in the competition.

Real Madrid has had a successful run in this year’s Champions League, reaching the semi-finals for the eighth time in 10 seasons. However, Ancelotti knows that for a club like Real Madrid, only winning the trophy will be considered a success. He expressed his happiness at reaching the semi-finals but emphasized that the goal is to reach the final.

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, has had a mixed season, performing well in Europe but losing out on the Bundesliga title. Ancelotti acknowledged their difficulties in the league but praised their performances in the Champions League, particularly their victory over Arsenal in the quarter-finals. He highlighted the quality of Bayern Munich’s attacking players, including Harry Kane, Gnabry, Sane, and Musiala.

Despite their recent success against Manchester City, Ancelotti stressed that his players are not getting ahead of themselves and understand the difficulty of the upcoming match against Bayern Munich. He also mentioned that the game will be a reunion for him and Thomas Tuchel, as they previously faced off in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2022 when Tuchel was still at Chelsea. Ancelotti expressed his respect for Tuchel as a manager and said he is looking forward to seeing him again.

Overall, Ancelotti’s press conference highlighted the significance of the Real Madrid shirt and the club’s history in the Champions League. He acknowledged the challenge of playing against Bayern Munich and emphasized the goal of reaching the final. Ancelotti also praised Bayern Munich’s performances in the competition and expressed his respect for Thomas Tuchel.