Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti: I could never become Barcelona coach

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has said he would never take charge of arch-rivals Barcelona.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's clasico at the Bernabeu, Ancelotti told El Larguero: "I think that if I train Milan, I could never coach Inter out of respect to Milan and also to Inter. It is the same with Roma and Lazio.

"So if I train Madrid, I could never coach Barcelona or Atletico [Madrid] either. I must respect my own history and also the history of the club I have coached. I do not believe a Barca fan would be happy with someone who had been a Madrid coach."

Current Barcelona coach Luis Enrique was a Real Madrid player between 1991 and 1996 before moving to Barcelona, for whom he scored against his former side -- something that has never been forgiven by the Bernabeu crowd.

But Ancelotti was quick to stress that he was happy at Madrid and enjoyed working for president Florentino Perez, saying: "I like to compare Florentino with [Silvio] Berlusconi [at AC Milan] because they are fans.

"They are different to those who buy a team, like Roman Abramovich or Nasser Al-Khelaifi, who become fans over time. It is more difficult working with presidents without experience in the world of football.

"I really like my relationship with him [Perez]. From the start, we have always been in total agreement. It would be difficult to find a better place to work. To be 24 years [like Alex Ferguson at Manchester United] at Madrid is impossible -- but I would like to end my career at this club."

#INSERT type:image caption:Ancelotti is delighted by his working relationship with Florentino Perez. END#

Meanwhile Bernd Schuster, who played for both Madrid and Barcelona and had a turbulent 16-month spell as coach at the Bernabeu, told AS he believed Madrid's "better" quality in midfield could tip the balance their way.

"I believe Madrid will win by the minimum," he said. "That is my feeling: Madrid for their style and high morale, with Cristiano in very good form and with a much better midfield, with Isco, [Toni] Kroos, [Luka] Modric and James on the right -- four players who are good on the ball.

"They could have an advantage where Barcelona have always dominated, in the centre of the park. The attacks are very even, the defences too -- but midfield is where you create."

The German, currently out of work having left Malaga, said he would probably use Luis Suarez as an impact substitute were he in charge of Barcelona.

Suarez is poised to make his first appearance for the club after the completion of a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini, and Schuster added: "For me, it is difficult to see him starting. I expect him to not start, but get time later.

"There are important moments during the whole game. You want him to play the most important."

With Lionel Messi one goal away from equalling former Athletic Bilbao striker's Telmo Zarra's 60-year-old record as La Liga top goalscorer, the league's president Javier Tebas has asked Madrid fans to recognise the achievement should the Argentine score on Saturday.

But Schuster said he was unsure about the wisdom of asking Real Madrid fans to do that, adding: "There is no need to provoke anyone, even less at the Bernabeu.

"I do not know if he will break the record. For the players that is secondary. Firstly, by far, they want to win. The records interest us, not them."

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