In an interview with AS, Davide Ancelotti discussed his coaching philosophy, Real Madrid's current situation, and other topics. This article is the first part of the interview.
How have you adapted since coming to Lille?
I came here almost overnight after the World Cup, and to be honest, this experience has helped me a lot because Brazil's World Cup exit was very painful.
What kind of club is Lille?
It's a club that is constantly growing. The project has solid foundations, with clear standards for striving and rigorous demands, and it consistently competes in European competitions. It and Paris Saint-Germain are the only two teams in Ligue 1 that have consecutively qualified for the Champions League; this is the team's second time in the Champions League in three years. The club already has 32,500 members, and the stadium averages 44,000 spectators per game. It's a great club.
How do you maintain competitiveness after successively selling Buadi and Fernandes-Pardo?
Through meticulous planning, we never act hastily. Key players leave every year, but precisely because of this, the club's financial situation is very stable. Lille has healthy financial figures, the team is competitive, and can still play in the Champions League... In today's football world, Lille is a breath of fresh air.
How do you compete with Paris Saint-Germain?
We won't easily surrender when facing Paris Saint-Germain. Unfortunately, due to issues with TV broadcasting rights, Ligue 1 doesn't get much exposure, but every season a lot of talent emerges here, and the intensity of the matches is very high...
Is the intensity of the confrontation too fierce?
In terms of match intensity, Ligue 1 is very close to the Premier League. In fact, many Ligue 1 players eventually transfer to England. If you come here thinking you have plenty of time to control the ball and think, you're wrong.
What is your relationship with club president Olivier Létang?
He knew my father even when he was sporting director at Paris Saint-Germain, working with Leonardo. The work he has done here is amazing; he pulled the club out of financial trouble and brought it to its current level. Létang demands a lot from the team and understands football; he also played himself.
Does he interfere too much with team affairs?
He likes to discuss football with me, but he respects my coaching authority. I also enjoy talking about football with him. He places a strong emphasis on discipline, and I am, in a way, the guardian of the values he wants the club to uphold.
Davide, what is your football philosophy?
I want my team to be fast, to play direct forward passes, not to keep possession for long periods just to protect themselves, but to use possession to attack the opponent. I firmly believe that football must have speed in finishing opportunities, dangerous attacks, or scoring moments. I will constantly encourage the team to speed up the pace of the game.
Does a faster playing style make it easier to find attacking spaces?
If you consistently push vertically and attack behind the opponent, it will disrupt their defense, which is very difficult to deal with. Conversely, if you only pass the ball horizontally back and forth, it's easier for the opponent to adjust their defense.
To play a vertical attacking game, do you have to drop the defensive line to create space for sprints in the attacking third?
It depends on the team's transition ability. But my idea is: during the defensive phase, a compact defensive line must be built, whether it's high pressing or low block defense. Of course, high pressing is obviously more difficult.
Is that really the case?
Yes. Almost all teams now have strong ball-playing abilities from the back, so high pressing must ensure numerical equality. Doing so involves huge risks, especially if the opponent has fast players who specifically target the space behind you. To press high, you must be confident enough and trust your defensive players. Because once you push up, defenders will be in one-on-one situations and must win their duels.
That makes sense.
My point is: if you high press and allow the opponent to gain a numerical advantage, leaving only one defender at the back, especially in leagues like LaLiga, the opponent will easily play the ball out, and this approach won't work. So, high-quality high pressing must ensure numerical equality and largely depend on the individual ability of the defensive players.
Davide, what kind of formation structure do you prefer?
I prefer a four-at-the-back system because it's more flexible. In defense, it can easily switch to a back five; when in possession, you don't have to always play out with three center-backs, you can switch to two center-backs. Conversely, if you play with three center-backs, playing out from the back can only rely on those three center-backs.
With a four-at-the-back system... how do you set up the attack?
It depends on the players you have. If you have Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, then you have to play 4-3-3 (laughs).
Just like when your father coached Real Madrid in his later years, the defense would switch to a 4-4-2.
That's how the 4-3-3 formation works: in your own defensive zone, it ensures a dense concentration of forces without retreating too much; once it shifts to a 4-4-2, the two forwards can still create pressure upfront. My father learned from Sacchi and always valued the 4-4-2.
Let's talk about some major changes in modern football. From Michels' Total Football at Ajax, to Sacchi's space occupation at Milan; then to Rijkaard's and later Guardiola's tiki-taka at Barcelona. Where is football headed today?
The teams that are currently leading the trend place particular emphasis on defense. Whether it's zonal defense or man-marking, teams that can reach the Champions League final often have a more refined defense than attack. Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have very different playing styles, but both have established highly recognizable defensive systems.
Will pressing defense like Barcelona's just be a passing trend?
Many top clubs use man-marking defense: Bayern, Paris, Barcelona, and Real Madrid when they press high. The purpose of this is to control the game and limit the opponent's time on the ball. But this goes back to what I just said: the players at the back must win a lot of duels: Saliba and Gabriel at Arsenal, Marquinhos and Páez at Paris... But you see, Arsenal also performs extremely well in low block defense. So, in my opinion, the latest trend is simply: first, do your defense well.
Is the Spanish national team an inspiration to you?
They are masters of possession. They perfectly embody technical football, third-man runs, numerical superiority, and ultimately, they are an example of team football. It is undoubtedly very inspiring. I was deeply impressed by what De la Fuente said after beating France: "The best players in the world were defeated by the best team in the world." This is precisely the strength of the Spanish team.
How do you achieve this?
It requires years of dedicated effort and consistently adhering to a football philosophy. And this is something many national teams have already lost.
Is that so?
Even when their results are poor, Spain always sticks to its path and withstands outside criticism. I don't know when Spanish football developed its own unique football identity. And I hope my national team (Italy) can also establish such a stylistic identity.
Italy is currently struggling with this...
We have historically been known for our solid defense, but that is no longer the case. Italy has always had very good coaches, Mancini, Spalletti... all of a high standard. I hope our national team project can maintain conceptual consistency.
I remember Guardiola's Barcelona amazing the football world. At that time, many teams wanted to replicate that style of play, but not everyone had the matching players.
You're right. Italy also experienced a possession-based trend back then, and so did Germany. Germany traditionally produced strong target men; just think, what kind of number nine players has Germany had since Gomez? They also started to transition to playing a different kind of football.
Who are your role models in coaching?
First and foremost, my father, of course. Secondly, I greatly admire Emery; his defensive organization impresses me. His teams are defensively solid, and his pre-match preparation is extremely meticulous. Emery himself prefers positional play and attacking football, but what I admire most is his defensive system. I also really like the defensive organization that Arteta has built. Luis Enrique's work also deeply impresses me...
Do you like Simeone?
I admire his ability to prepare for big matches, always finding weaknesses in the opponent's attack and defense. I wouldn't say he's my idol, but there's a lot to learn from him, just like from Emery, De Zerbi, and Klopp.
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