The manager of Everton football club, Carlo Ancelotti says he is pleased to be compared to the manager of Tottenham Hotspur, Jose Mourinho.
The 61-year-old Italian coach who has been coaching professionally since 1995 believes that he has a lot in common with the 58-year-old Portuguese coach who has been coaching professionally since 2000.
Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho are among the very few coaches who have coached in some of the major leagues in Europe. They have also won league titles across at least four leagues in the continent.
However, Ancelotti is a more successful coach when compared to Jose Mourinho in terms of the UEFA Champions League title. The Italian tactician has won three Champions League titles while Mourinho has won two.
On the other hand, the Portuguese tactician is more successful in terms of winning league titles. So far in his coaching career, Mourinho has won 8 league titles across four European clubs. While Carlo Ancelotti has won just four league titles.
The two veteran coaches will go head to head against each other later today, February 10, at 21:15. Ahead of the 5th round FA Cup match, Carlo Ancelotti noted that what makes him similar to Jose Mourinho is that their clubs play similar football. The Italian coach says Mourinho’s team pays attention to both defense and attack just like his team.
“It is an honor for me to be compared to Jose but we didn’t talk too much about this,” Ancelotti said.
“I think we are really close with our idea of football. How I see his team play can be comparable to us.
“He is focused defensively and offensively like I am. Mourinho’s teams are always in balance, which means they do a good job defensively and offensively.
“I don’t know if it is a new style of football but for me to be compared to his style of football is an honor.
“If they say to me ‘Your team is playing old-style football’, I am pleased.”
Carlo Ancelotti is more interested in qualifying for a European club competition
Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti is on a mission to ensure that Everton makes it back to Europe. The club is currently placed 7th on the league table and the Italian coach aims to take the club higher on the league table so that the club can qualify for Europa League, if not UEFA Champions League.
But the club’s fans want to see Everton win a major title once again. The most likely title left for Everton to win this season is the FA Cup and Ancelotti has to go through Mourinho first before he can keep such hope alive.
The last time Everton won the FA Cup was in 1995 and there was the last time Everton won a major title in the club’s history. Yet, winning a title is not the major priority for Carlo Ancelotti.
“We are working for this. I know how Evertonians are desperate to win trophies,” said Ancelotti.
“I don’t know if it is the right time this season but what I can assure is we are doing everything to have a trophy here as soon as possible.
“For the stability of the club, the most important is to reach a position in Europe.
“Of course for the happiness winning a trophy will be important but the stability of the club is going to have a big improvement reaching the European positions.”
📈 | "It is our target to fight in the FA Cup until the end and for this to happen we must improve our form at Goodison Park."
— Everton (@Everton) February 10, 2021
Get in the zone for tonight's tie with @MrAncelotti's #EmiratesFACup programme notes in full…
