#4 Carlo Ancelotti
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Carlo Ancelotti was in charge of just two seasons at Real Madrid, but one cannot underestimate the effect the legendary Italian manager had on the club. The Madrid that Carletto took over in on 25th June 2013 was broken – Jose Mourinho left the Italian a dressing room full of arguments, and a playing style that was proving to be second best to Barcelona and an antithesis to the club’s identity.
The Italian’s jovial nature was a perfect antidote, and he was given the gift of a world record signing soon after his arrival – Gareth Bale for 100 million euros. Ancelotti reworked his Madrid side to be efficient in attack and defence, lifting the Copa del Rey thanks to Bale’s brilliance.
That was a mere sideshow, though – Real Madrid were obsessed with La Decima ever since winning their 9th European Cup in 2002, and Ancelotti brought the wait to an end, defeating Atletico Madrid 4-1 in extra time to win his third UEFA Champions League trophy as a manager.
The loss of Xabi Alonso and Angel di Maria in the summer proved to be brutal, as Ancelotti narrowly missed out on all the major competitions the following year, which resulted in his departure as Madrid finished the 2014/15 season empty handed. The Italian did finish with a record 22 match winning streak and a win percentage of 74.79% – the best of any Real Madrid manager.
