Davide Ancelotti says Jose Mourinho was the ideal coach for Real Madrid at a crucial point in the club’s recent history, while insisting Toni Kroos cannot be replaced.
Speaking to AS in the second part of an interview, Ancelotti said Real Madrid had lost “the best player in that position in the world” when Kroos retired.
“You can’t think ‘just find another Kroos’, because there’s no second one,” he said.
Ancelotti praised Kroos’ ability to control the tempo of matches, his tactical understanding and his defensive awareness. The former Germany midfielder could also cover 11 kilometres in a game, he added, although he preferred playing as a number eight and leaving the physical work to the defensive midfielder.
“When Modric and Kroos are on the field, every forward run into space receives a pass,” Ancelotti said, while discussing the importance of vertical football. He added that a team needed not only forwards who attacked space but also midfielders capable of supplying them accurately.
Rodri, he said, would have fitted into Real Madrid because “he can establish himself in any team”, but the club should not become obsessed with finding a direct copy of Kroos. Real Madrid would find a new balance between attack and defence and, with or without Rodri, would “fight until the last moment”.
Ancelotti also defended Vinicius Junior, who helped Real Madrid win two Champions League finals. He said the forward was popular in the dressing room because he trained consistently, never hid from responsibility and always gave maximum effort.
“When he’s in form, he has the ability to change the balance of the game,” Ancelotti said. However, Vinicius’ direct style and willingness to attack defenders one-on-one required a strong structure behind him. The Brazilian could win matches by himself, but the team’s system could not be allowed to collapse, particularly if he played alongside Kylian Mbappe.
On Vinicius’ gesture towards Xabi Alonso during El Clasico, Ancelotti said: “Vinicius was wrong.” He added that the player knew he had made a mistake and needed to respect the coach, club, team-mates and supporters, but did not believe the incident would cost Real Madrid an important trophy.
Ancelotti rejected the idea that Real Madrid players had more authority than the coach. Players might object to being substituted, he said, as Kroos, Modric and Casemiro had done in their own ways, but “in the Real Madrid locker room, the coach calls the shots”.
He described Mourinho as a “born winner” whose fighting spirit and love for Real Madrid made him the right appointment at that time. Ancelotti said Mourinho had changed football through innovative training methods and had always treated him kindly, including when they met as opponents.
His father, Carlo Ancelotti, stood “at the pinnacle of football”, Davide added. Real Madrid had shaped his own coaching career after he joined as a fitness coach before spending four seasons as an assistant.
Carlo Ancelotti still has four years left on his Brazil contract. Davide hopes his father can return to Real Madrid, but says his own future depends on earning that opportunity through success. He is currently focused on “a grand and beautiful project at Lille”, while accepting that coaching Real Madrid is also his dream.
“Football is a winner-take-all industry,” he said. “The most important thing is always winning.”
