Lille manager Davide Ancelotti has publicly praised Barcelona's vertical style of play and admitted he enjoys watching the team. In an interview, the son of Real Madrid's coach confessed to having suffered against Barça in Clásicos. His comments come as the Catalan side leads La Liga with 21 points from seven consecutive wins, five points clear of Atlético Madrid.
Ancelotti, who was part of Real Madrid's technical staff alongside his father, spoke about football's tactical evolution. "Claro que me gusta ver al Barça cuando juega. Y lo he sufrido," he stated. The strategist highlighted the difficulty of controlling Barcelona's play in its current phase, which he described as very vertical.
Praise for Raphinha
The Lille coach focused on the figure of Raphinha, who is the team's top scorer this season with 12 goals in seven appearances. "Me gusta ver a Raphinha de nueve." explained Ancelotti. This observation aligns with the Brazilian's performance, including a hat-trick in the recent 1-3 win at Sevilla.
Ancelotti also reflected on defensive trends in elite football, citing teams like Arsenal and PSG. He stressed that Champions League finalists prioritise the defensive phase and that being dominant means leaving the opponent little time on the ball. For this, his analysis states, you need defenders who win many one-on-one duels.
The coach took the opportunity to discuss the loss of Toni Kroos at Real Madrid, a player whose departure, he said, has complicated Los Blancos' game dynamics. Ancelotti noted that vertical football is not only about having runners, but also about someone who can deliver the ball perfectly into space.
Barcelona, maintaining a flawless run with five wins in their last five matches, now prepares to host Getafe at the Camp Nou on October 10th. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page and the updated table on standings. The team has scored 31 goals and conceded only seven.
First reported at Mundo Deportivo
