After being criticized, the Colombian coach compared himself to the Real Madrid coach: “Ancelotti is a jerk compared to me”

Arturo Reyes compared himself to the Real Madrid coach – credit EFE/LigaBetplay

After his time as a professional footballer, Carlo Ancelotti established himself as one of the most successful coaches in the world, which has led him to win multiple trophies with clubs such as AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG and Real Madrid, a team where he has remained until today.

The Italian’s triumphs have made him be classified as one of the best coaches in history, which added to his triumphs in the UEFA Champions League and the European Super Cup, have made the strategist taken as a reference for other colleagues.

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That is why after the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores between Junior de Barranquilla and Colo Colo, Colombian Arturo Reyes decided to take Ancelotti as a reference and compare his work with that of the Italian.

Ancelotti won the European Super Cup with Real Madrid against Atalanta – credit Reuters

In the match played in Chile, the Barranquilla club lost 1-0 with a goal in the final minutes, which is why many journalists criticized the tactical approach implemented by Arturo Reyes, stating that he should have been more offensive.

In defense of his work, Reyes spoke in MTF and assured that, despite losing against Colo Colo, he considers that his team did not suffer in the match.

“Imagine listening to the Chilean journalists saying that Junior in the Copa Libertadores recovers 60 and something percent of the balls in low blocks… And that was enough for us to be first. We played the league differently, but this time we didn’t keep a clean sheet, we had chances and we didn’t capitalize on them, we suffered very little,” said the coach.

Similarly, Reyes stressed that he did not seek to have a defensive team, but that the Chilean club’s strategy caused his players to end up retreating into their area. He took advantage of the moment to support midfielder Victor Cantillo, who in a press conference said that they should have been more offensive.

“I agree, I told him that when the match ended. I agree with him (Victor Cantillo), but that was the situation at the time,” said Arturo Reyes.

Arturo Reyes is the protagonist of a controversy for comparing himself to Carlo Ancelotti – credit Colprensa

As journalists questioned the starting eleven that Reyes lined up in Chile, the coach was frustrated and remarked: “I am a guy who says what he feels, and when they get the better of me, I say it: they got the better of me,” stressing that he understands that he was inferior to his rival in the Copa Libertadores.

Tired of the criticism, Reyes decided to compare himself to Carlo Ancelotti, recalling that, despite having played a defensive game against Manchester City in the Champions League semi-finals, the press praised the Italian’s work because he managed to get a favourable result. He added that the same would have happened in Colombia if the game between Junior and Colo Colo had ended 0-0.

“I’ll tell you one thing, if that game had ended 0-0, like the one Real Madrid played against City, which eliminated them from the Champions League, look, Ancelotti would be an idiot next to me. He defended the whole time and eliminated Manchester City,” the Barranquilla native refuted.

Junior will decide the series in Barranquilla – AP credit

Arturo Reyes was self-critical of his work and stressed that the start of the second semester for his team has been negative, but he feels that the reproaches of the press are “for yesterday’s game” and not for the campaign he has had with the Tiburón.

Finally, noting that the series against the Chilean team will be decided on August 20 in Barranquilla, Reyes confirmed that in the match against Fortaleza CEIF on August 17 he will use a “mixed” roster in which there will be more substitutes than starters.