Carlo Ancelotti is preparing for the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Dortmund in a relaxed and enjoyable manner, with an interesting menu.
Menu for the Ninth Final
Vinicius Junior will have pasta and mashed potatoes on the day of the Champions League final. Antonio Rudiger will enjoy a more traditional dish: pasta with ragù bolognese, a specialty of Bologna, Italy.
Last Monday (May 27), Carlo Ancelotti designed the menu for the Saturday final against Borussia Dortmund.
When arriving at Valdebebas and seeing the menu, not all players were convinced by Ancelotti’s choice: broccoli, salmon, and pasta.
A few days before the Dortmund match, Carletto appeared relaxed, ignoring the pressure and focusing on personal details rather than tactics for another final.
“This is your 6th final,” they told Ancelotti, but he immediately corrected in Spanish, “la novena” (the 9th), referring to three other finals as a player.
Ancelotti’s first European Cup final was in 1983-84 when Roma lost to Liverpool in a penalty shootout at home (1-1 after 120 minutes), although he couldn’t play due to injury.
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At Milan, during the “Immortali” era under Arrigo Sacchi, Ancelotti participated in two consecutive European Cup finals, winning both (1988-89, 1989-90). In these finals, Carletto played central midfield with Frank Rijkaard; Van Basten and Ruud Gullit scored in both matches, while the Italian defense kept clean sheets (4-0 against Steaua – Van Basten and Gullit each scored twice; 1-0 against Benfica, Rijkaard scored).
As a coach, he has had five more finals, three with Milan (2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07) and two with Real Madrid (2013-14, 2021-22). He lost only one final in 2005.
For the ninth time, Real Madrid will face Dortmund, coinciding with the 21st anniversary of Ancelotti’s first Champions League final victory. This milestone occurred on May 28, 2003, when Milan triumphed over Juventus at Old Trafford in Manchester.
Rest and Enjoyment
Not all coaches sustain success over such a long period. Ancelotti, who has traversed numerous iconic football stadiums from Old Trafford to Wembley, now waits for the ball to roll in London.
“What will I do while waiting? Enjoy,” he stated to 200 international journalists in Madrid on Monday. Previously, he described his role as “more suffering than happiness.”
Currently, Ancelotti ensures that challenges won’t affect him until kickoff. “Fear will come, but first, I want to enjoy it, and I will.”
The final will take place on June 1 at 8 PM UK time (2 AM on June 2 in Hanoi). Ancelotti’s personal schedule includes a nap after the main meal.
“Then, all thoughts will be on the match. Before speaking in the locker room, my heart will beat 110-120 times per minute. Cold sweat will appear. This is quite normal, I have experience. When the game starts, my heart will return to normal,” he emphasized.
Based on his extensive experience, Ancelotti advises that the best way to reduce player tension during the match is to provide “clear information to alleviate stress.”