Hansi Flick (60), the Barcelona manager, expressed sympathy for Carlo Ancelotti (66), the head coach of Real Madrid.
Barcelona, led by Flick, will face rival Real Madrid in the 2024-2025 Copa del Rey final on the 27th (Korean time) in Seville, Spain. This will be the third 'El Clásico' of the season.
Barcelona is leading La Liga this season. With 76 points (24 wins, 4 draws, 5 losses), they are 7 points ahead of second-place Real Madrid (69 points). The situation looks promising for a championship.
If Barcelona wins the Copa del Rey against Real, they may aim for a treble this season. This is because Barcelona has reached the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.
In contrast, Real is not in a good mood. Having fallen behind Barcelona in the La Liga title race, Real also suffered a defeat to Arsenal in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, which led to their elimination. The possibility of ending the season without a trophy has emerged.
Consequently, criticism of coach Ancelotti has increased. Some media outlets reported that Real's leadership might dismiss Ancelotti at the end of this season. Specific names of potential successors, such as Jürgen Klopp and Xabi Alonso, have also been mentioned.
After leading Barcelona to a 1-0 victory over Mallorca in the 33rd round of La Liga on the 23rd, Flick revealed his thoughts on their next opponent, Real, and Ancelotti through German outlet 'Barca Welt.'
Flick said, "Real is truly an amazing team, and they have one of the best coaches in the world. Ancelotti is someone who has achieved everything at every club," expressing disappointment at the rumors surrounding Ancelotti's potential dismissal.
He added, "Ancelotti is a true gentleman, and I hold him in deep respect." He further remarked, "On Saturday, we will compete against Real and Ancelotti in the Copa del Rey final. I am glad to see him again. He is truly an incredible coach."
Meanwhile, Ancelotti mentioned at a press conference before the match against Getafe that "anything can happen in football. It wouldn't be strange for anything to occur," and added, "I have no desire for revenge against anyone or anything."
He continued, "I love this bench very much. I hope this situation lasts as long as possible," adding that "when the day comes for all of this to end, I will express my gratitude and pay my respects to this club."
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