Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti reveals an anecdote involving Zinedine Zidane and Paolo Montero during his time at Juventus.
The 64-year-old is arguably the most decorated manager of his generation. He lifted the Champions League trophy on four occasions and is the only coach to win all Top Five European leagues.
But in his early career years, he endured a complicated spell at Juventus between 1999 and 2001. He came close to winning the Scudetto title on two occasions, but eventually fell short.
Nevertheless, Ancelotti now looks back at his time as a great learning experience.
The Italian boss is now considered one of the best in the game in terms of man-management. But there was a time when he seemed to be less patient.
Ancelotti reveals how he once tried to get the Juventus bus going and leaving behind a tardy Zidane, until Montero convinced him otherwise.
‘There was a time at Juventus when Zidane was late, and we were on the bus waiting to go,” said the legendary manager in an interview with The Times via The Daily Mail.
“I said to the driver, ‘No more, let’s leave’, but he was scared and wouldn’t move. And then, Paolo Montero came down the bus to speak to me.
“I told him ‘Let’s get going, and then we’ll talk’. But he said, ‘You don’t understand. Without Zizou, we’re going nowhere.’
“So that’s when you think, ‘OK, I need to listen to this.’ So we waited.”
Zidane went on to become Ancelotti’s assistant manager during the Italian’s first spell at Real Madrid.
