Ancelotti Reveals Zidane Changed His Ideas About Football

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that coaching Zinedine Zidane at Juventus changed his tactical approach and influenced the way he managed teams throughout the rest of his career.

Ancelotti was in charge of Juventus between 1999 and 2001, working with a talented squad that included Zidane, Alessandro Del Piero, Edgar Davids and Filippo Inzaghi.

Although his time in Turin did not bring major domestic silverware, the Italian coach said working with Zidane forced him to move away from the rigid 4-4-2 system he had previously preferred.

“Zidane is the first player who gave me the possibility to change the system and play in a different way,” Ancelotti told Sky Sports.

He explained that during his first season at Juventus, he used a 3-4-1-2 formation with Del Piero and Inzaghi in attack and Zidane operating behind them.

Ancelotti later switched to a back four while continuing to use two strikers and Zidane as the number 10.

“Zidane changed my idea of football,” he said. “I was so focused before Juventus on 4-4-2 and after, with Zidane, I changed. I wanted to put him in the best position for him, to let him be more comfortable on the pitch.”

Ancelotti also said his experience at Juventus taught him the importance of a club giving its manager strong backing when dealing with players.

Despite being dismissed at the end of his second season, he said the support he received during his time in Turin helped shape his understanding of how clubs and managers should work together.

Zidane later became Ancelotti’s assistant at Real Madrid, where the pair helped the Spanish giants end a 12-year wait for the Champions League by defeating Atletico Madrid in the 2014 final.

Ancelotti said his experience with Zidane also influenced the way he handled other elite players, including Cristiano Ronaldo.

According to the Italian, managers should avoid placing unnecessary tactical restrictions on exceptional attacking players and instead create a system that allows them to perform at their best.

“You don’t have to build a team around Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “As I said with Zidane, you have to put them in the most comfortable way on the pitch.”

Ancelotti added that players such as Ronaldo should not be overloaded with defensive responsibilities because of their importance in attack and their ability to decide matches.

He also praised Sergio Ramos for his leadership qualities during their time together at Real Madrid.

Ancelotti described the defender’s character and personality as among his greatest strengths, saying Ramos had the ability to motivate his teammates and consistently perform in important moments.