Ancelotti is the bedrock of Real’s success

Real Madrid vs Barcelona. ‘El Clasico’. The game that inspires the feeling in grown football fans that they have been chasing since they grew older than the age of 9 and Santa Claus stopped coming to town. Like a Stretch Armstrong action figure released from his golden foil prison, El Clasico provides two hours of unimaginable entertainment, instantly becoming the best thing that has ever happened for its duration, only to be forgotten about and rediscovered six months later, to once again invoke the same level of enthusiasm.

Unlike Mr Armstrong, however, the players involved are some of the best on the planet and can handle the incredible heat of both the climate and the fixture; they certainly won’t melt if you leave them in the sun (still sorry about that, Stretch). When one stops to actually count the achievements of the individual members of these squads even in the last 12 months, the results are dizzying. Lionel Messi had the potential to break no fewer than 5 individual records in the recent Clasico and as well as including many World Cup Winners and Champions League Winners, the current Real and Barca squads contain:

• Balon d’or winners 2009-2014
• The 5 most expensive players of all time
• Both European Golden Boot Winners 2014
• World Cup Golden Boot Winner 2014
• World Cup Golden Ball Winner 2014

It is perhaps surprising, therefore, that in a match blessed with such saliva-inducing skill and talent on the field, one grey-haired, pot-bellied man can make such a difference to the game. It was Carlo Ancelotti who dominated proceedings, despite the debut of £75million striker Luis Suarez; the goals of Neymar, Ronaldo, Benzema and Pepe; and Sky’s Guillem Balague nearly stealing the show with his unique brand of somehow likeably smug punditry.

[pullquote]The Italian’s class, in both his tasteful choice of cardigans and spot on tactics, is without question[/pullquote]

The only man to win 3 Champions League titles and also be a losing finalist, Ancelotti is a coach unlike any other. While it is impossible not to notice (at least now that I have pointed it out to you) that his left eyebrow raises almost every time he speaks, giving him a slightly confused look, he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing in this regard. His record is matched only by the greatest of all time in the game and when he retires the inevitable debates over where he places in the list of all-time great managers will undoubtedly commence.

The Italian’s class, in both his tasteful choice of cardigans and spot-on tactics, is without question and, despite going behind after 3 minutes, his team rarely looked out of control in the game, repeatedly hitting Luis Enrique’s Barca side on the break. Real allowed Barca the lion’s share of possession (as one would expect) but counter-attacked with such speed, precision and grace that it was only a matter of time before Claudio Bravo conceded his first league goals in a Barcelona jersey.

Enrique’s managerial inexperience was exposed by the former Milan and Chelsea boss, as Barca did not seem to noticeably change their style despite playing away at the Bernabeu to the European Champions. Their incorrigible devotion to their philosophy looked more like over-confidence and complacency, and was pounced upon by Madrid’s pressing and defensive organisation; masterminded by the wily Ancelotti.

Barca have not set the world on fire but have done well in the opening matches of the Spanish League this year, and a win against their biggest rivals would have taken them 7 points clear at the top and made them clear favourites to win the title. As it stands now, however, Ancelotti’s men are just one point behind the Catalonians and have the psychological advantage, even if toothy forward Luis Suarez is yet to truly show what he can do in the red and blue. The Uruguayan looked lively in the early exchanges but was absent for large portions of the latter stages before being taken off for Pedro with the game already lost.

Real have stepped out of the shadow of Pep Guardiola’s Barca

Harshly sacked by Roman Abramovich for failing to replicate the domestic double of his first season at Chelsea, Ancelotti has built upon the solid foundation of the Mourinho era and injected an attacking flare and desire to his Madrid side that has once again elevated them to the top of European football. This has allowed them to step out of the shadow of Pep Guardiola’s Barca, which had hung over them from 2008-2012.

While Mourinho’s dressing room was unsettled and had rumours of a divide between the club’s Spanish and Portuguese players, the good grace with which Ancelotti took Luka Modric leaping on to his back after the final whistle on Saturday shows that there in a good comradery and spirit within the team now.

The dominant 3-0 display over what initially looked an improved Liverpool side in midweek also showed the flexibility of Madrid this season; Ancelotti’s attention to detail and excellent coaching skill allows them to adapt to their opponents and achieve the same results on either side of a 70-30 possession split. With £230million worth of talent in Bale, Ronaldo and James behind Karim Benzema and this man in the dugout, Real will be looking to turn ‘la decima’ into ‘el undecimo’.