In a beautiful interview on Sky Sport, Carlo Ancelotti reveals some new details of the years in Parma.
"In Parma, we started badly, so in December there was an air of exemption. There was a Christmas dinner at Tanzi's house where the executives told me that without a victory at San Siro I have to go. So I stayed for the whole dinner to negotiate at least for a draw (laughs, ed) and when we arrived at the Hotel the night before the competition I gathered all my staff together to toast to think they would have exonerated me. Instead, we won thanks to a goal from Stanic. The Milan coach was Sacchi, my mentor."
You had a crazy attacking line with Zola and Crespo, and you didn't want Baggio?
"It's true, I regret it but it was the result of inexperience. I finished my coaching career with 4-4-2 and then adopted that formation and didn't have the knowledge to go into other paths. I sacrificed the quality of the team for the system, but from there I changed my way of thinking. Now I adapt the system to my players because the most important thing is the player, not the coach or the game and now I have learned it."
You also wanted Guardiola, who was playing at Barcelona at the time
"We wanted him because I needed a central midfielder and he had given the availability. Then he stayed at Barcelona where I believe he also renewed the contract and we turned on Bravo, which was not Guardiola but had those characteristics, even if afterwards I put Sensini to be a midfielder ."
You found Buffon, who made his debut last year
"There was Bucci who was a goalkeeper for Italy, but Buffon had a unique quality. When he stands by the goal, he took me all with a single security and positioning."
Coaching Milan is a surprise
"That day I was planning to go to Parma since we were already in agreement. I apologized to them for my behaviour. But when Galliani called me, I couldn't really say no."