Ancelotti discusses Milan balance and ‘Christmas tree’ formation: “A fantastic experience”

Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most important figures in modern football, and the former AC Milan coach and player is ingrained in the club’s history. 

There are very few players or coaches who have dominated for generations; you may say Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as players, Pep Guardiola as a manager, but Ancelotti would also have to be in the conversation.

As a manager, he has won five Champions League titles, five top-flight titles, and a host of other competitions, too. The Italian is truly one of the most defining managers in the history of the beautiful game.

Ancelotti on Milan life

With his magnificent record, he has managed many great teams and players, and his Milan team could certainly be in the conversation. The 2003-04 team, for example, with Cafu, Paolo Maldini, Andriy Shevchenko, Gennaro Gattuso, Filippo Inzaghi, Rui Costa, Rivaldo, the list goes on, and on.

Today, the coach spoke about that team, what made it click and how he got everyone together, as Milan Press relayed.

“AC Milan was a fantastic experience. The club made huge investments, signing fantastic players like Rui Costa, Rivaldo, Seedorf, Pirlo, and Shevchenko. The goal was to build a team with excellent players, and what we managed to do was find a good balance between top players.

“I don’t want to say we invented the ‘Christmas tree’ formation, but in 2004 we played with a striker, two attacking midfielders, and three quality midfielders because Pirlo was the defensive midfielder, Seedorf the left midfielder, and only one player like Gattuso was the Rottweiler.”