Real Madrid vs Valencia: Two old acquaintances with a rich AC Milan past will face each other on Wednesday in the first semi-final of the Spanish Super Cup. Chances are small that Carlo Ancelotti and Gennaro Gattuso will reminisce about the duel between Real Madrid and Valencia.
Gattuso recently expressed his admiration for Ancelotti in a major interview in Spain. He sees his 63-year-old compatriot as the best trainer in the world. However, there is no longer a very warm relationship with the coach under whom he won the Champions League at AC Milan, among other things. That became clear during Gattuso’s press conference the day before the match against Real Madrid.
History between Gattuso and Ancelotti
“As a Milan player I saw that Carlo gave everything for the team. So I went through fire for him the other way around. If there was something going on in the locker room, I stood up and took responsibility for the sake of the team. That’s how our relationship was,” the Valencia coach looked back.
“Now our relationship is a bit… It’s not the way it used to be,” Gattuso continued honestly. “We haven’t spoken to each other in over a year. I have a lot of respect for him, I can’t say anything more about it. He is one of the best trainers in the world and we have won a lot together.”
Gattuso succeeded Ancelotti as coach of Napoli at the end of 2019, after the experienced success coach had left in an annoying way. Comments from Gattuso about the state of the selection then in Naples would not have gone down well with Ancelotti, who coached the former midfielder in Milan between 2001 and 2009.
The two meet on Wednesday at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The two previous editions of the Spanish Super Cup that were played in Saudi Arabia were won by Real Madrid. The other semi-final of this edition will be between Barcelona and Real Betis on Thursday.
