Ancelotti faces scathing criticism despite Real exploits with “lucky” jibe

Carlo Ancelotti has Real Madrid on the cusp of another LaLiga title and the Champions League final but has been heavily criticised with a former player calling him “lucky”

Carlo Ancelotti has been labelled as “really, really lucky” despite his Real Madrid side advancing to the Champions League semi-finals.

The Italian watched on as his side beat Chelsea on aggregate, despite losing on the night at the Bernabeu. At 3-0 down they were heading out of the competition, but Rodrygo’s strike took it to extra-time before Karim Benzema’s strike sent them through.

In the round of 16 Ancelotti’s Los Blancos outfit needed Benzema’s brilliance to haul them out of a hole once more. Trailing 2-0 on aggregate to PSG, the Frenchman scored a second-half hat-trick to see off the Ligue 1 side despite Madrid’s below par showing.

Antonio Cassano, who spent a short spell at the Bernabeu, is not shy in making his opinion known. Ancelotti is eyeing an unprecedented fourth Champions League triumph, but Cassano claims his luck will run out. he told Bobo TV on Twitch : “Real Madrid played badly against Chelsea and PSG, he [Ancelotti] was really, really lucky. But luck will end sooner or later.”

The 62-year-old returned to Spain for a second spell managing Los Blancos in the summer. He previously led them to European glory in 2014 whilst also winning the competition twice whilst at AC Milan. Ancelotti has faced criticism however for some of his failures.

He famously surrendered a 4-1 Champions League lead to Deportivo La Coruna whilst at Milan. He was also beaten to the Ligue 1 title by Montpellier during his time in charge at PSG and lost out in the LaLiga title race to Atletico Madrid in 2014.

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Ancelotti is on course to deliver another league title at the Bernabeu with Madrid enjoying a commanding lead at the top of the table. They’ve hardly been challenged this term, something Cassano was keen to state. He said: “Real Madrid don’t play well in La Liga, Barcelona had a bad start, but now it’s a different story.”

The Italian’s managerial career has seen him also lead the likes of Juventus, Chelsea and Bayern Munich. His status as one of the game’s top managers continues to see him hired by the continent’s top teams. However that has again seen him criticised.

Ancelotti has worked with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema and Kaka – but Cassano insists players do not improve under the Italian’s watch. He claimed: “Ancelotti makes players feel well, but I can’t remember one who developed under him.”