Former Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka believes Carlo Ancelotti vindicated Jose Mourinho’s decision to drop Iker Casillas.
Karanka was Mourinho’s No.2 during the Portuguese’s time at Santiago Bernabeu and the current Middlesbrough manager has reflected on Mourinho’s experience at Los Blancos.
“Time always gives you more reasons. Mourinho was attacked and four months later they got another Coach and Ancelotti decided Diego Lopez would continue as the starter,” he recalled, Marca reports.
“A few weeks ago Casillas himself stated that Mourinho talked to him every day. He took Iker out of the team for the good of the team. He wasn’t fit and wasn’t at his best. Ancelotti proved us right.
“Mourinho was attacked from the moment he arrived but the Madrid fans appreciated his success. We missed the Champions League, which was a shame, but if anyone ended Barcelona’s supremacy, it was Mourinho. If it wasn’t for him, there would have been a repeat of Barca’s six titles.”
Karanka also praised Ancelotti and the Italian’s version of Madrid, as well as Cristiano Ronaldo.
“Ancelotti is a good trainer and you have to give him a lot of credit when you see how the team works and how he has managed to solve being without the players he wants,” the former defender added.
“The players want him, as they wanted Mourinho. It was said he wasn’t talking to the players but that was a lie.
“I said that Cristiano was the world’s No.1 when they gave the Ballon d’Or to Lionel Messi so imagine what I think now.
“What is unusual is that Messi has four Golden Balls and Cristiano has just one! He has to get the second and then win a third.”
