Ancelotti faces Barcelona again in bid to end Clasico final losing streak

Carlo Ancelotti is one of those who says finals are not played, they are won. Throughout his career, he has had his exceptions, of course, but his record is nearly flawless. Over three decades as a manager, he has led his teams in 30 finals, losing only five.

In his 31st final, he faces one of the very few rivals who have dared challenge his dominance - Barcelona.

Of those 30 finals, more than half have been with Real Madrid—16 to be precise. In his first stint, he managed five - winning a Copa del Rey, a Champions League, a Super Cup, and a Club World Cup, while losing the Spanish Super Cup to Atletico in a two-legged tie.

In this second spell, he has played 11 finals, winning nine of them. His trophy haul in these four years includes two La Liga titles, two Champions League trophies, two European Super Cup titles, two Spanish Super Cup titles, one Copa del Rey, one Club World Cup, and the Intercontinental Cup.

Liverpool, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta and Pachuca are just some of the teams he has defeated. He has also beaten Barcelona, but the Catalans hold a special place. They are the only side to feature in the photos of both of Real Madrid's defeats.

The first of those came in 2023. In a team scarred by European failures, Xavi Hernandez managed a near-perfect La Liga campaign, winning the title by a ten-point margin.

In the meantime, he claimed the Spanish Super Cup, his first title as a coach in Europe. In Jeddah, Barcelona put on a show, with goals from Gavi, Lewandowski and Pedri, while Karim Benzema could only reduce the deficit in the 93rd minute.

Ancelotti got his revenge in 2024, taking the final in Riyadh, but Hansi Flick made his presence known on 12 January, again in Jeddah, with another dominant Clasico win.

After the 0-4 thrashing at the Santiago Bernabeu, the Catalans responded by overcoming Kylian Mbappe's opening goal with a devastating first-half display from Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha and Balde.

The second half began with a fifth goal from Raphinha, and Rodrygo pulled one back in the 60th minute for a 2-5 scoreline. Despite Szczesny's red card, the Catalans were untroubled.

Ancelotti's situation with Madrid faces fresh setback

Ancelotti's first stint at Santiago Bernabeu was relatively short but intense. Like a teenage love affair, it had peaks of passion, such as the dreamed-of Champions League trophy and Gareth Bale's Copa del Rey final, contrasting with disappointments in Munich and a growing indifference towards La Liga, which ultimately broke the relationship.

Nearly a decade later, they resumed their affair with intensity but with greater maturity, and their successes have followed a more measured path. However, it's the same old rifts from 2015 that could see the story end in 2025.

Historically, Carlo Ancelotti's record in Clasico finals stands at 2-2. In this second spell, it is 2-1, with five goals in his favour and nine against. For the Italian, this Clasico is a chance for redemption at a critical moment for him and his team, even though he insists the "honeymoon" is still going strong.

After the painful Champions League exit to Arsenal, Real Madrid have two titles left to fight for, and, as Ancelotti himself said this week, both of them hinge on defeating their eternal rivals in the two direct encounters still to come.

Winning is the elixir, and losing is the poison that could wither his love story with Real Madrid.