Ancelotti within touching distance of European grand slam as Real Madrid eye La Liga title

On his final match as head coach of Everton, 11 months ago, Carlo Ancelotti went to the Etihad Stadium to play the English champions. Within 14 minutes, his team were trailing 2-0, Riyad Mahrez having set up a Kevin de Bruyne goal while some spectators were still taking their seats, and Gabriel Jesus, with an elegant turn away from his marker, taking advantage of a De Bruyne pass.

On his next visit to the same stadium last Tuesday, Ancelotti experienced an alarming deja vu. The defence he is now in charge of organising allowed Mahrez to cross for De Bruyne to score, and, very soon, Gabriel to spin away from a marker and make good on a De Bruyne pass. Manchester City had a 2-0 lead within 12 minutes this time, against Ancelotti’s Real Madrid in a Champions League semi-final first leg.

Only the other day, Ancelotti was explaining, without making it sound like a boast, that in his long career in management he seldom makes the same mistake twice in quick succession. After a quarter of a century in management, and a warehouse full of trophies, he can say that with authority.

Conceding two sets of replica goals to City within less than a year looks like an oversight, except that what happened next was very distinct. Everton lost their last match of their single season under Ancelotti 5-0 (and finished in the top half of the Premier League, a good deal better off than Everton are now).

Ancelotti’s Madrid finished up 4-3 losers at City and kept alive their chances of making it into a European Cup final after next Wednesday’s second leg.

On Saturday, Madrid can boost their confidence by claiming the point they need to confirm, with four games to spare, the Spanish Liga title. They are at home to Espanyol. Ancelotti will rest some