Patient Ancelotti must start afresh

In the most literary of the new La Liga season’s previews, AS editor Alfredo Relaño wrote that Carlo Ancelotti reminded him of mythical Greek hero Sisyphus.

This is because 12 months ago Ancelotti had a squad packed with talented attacking players, but did not have a tactical system in which all could shine.

It took time, but as the season progressed, the Italian coach — and his English assistant Paul Clement — designed a 4-3-3 shape which provided both the defensive balance required and allowed galactico forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to wreak havoc on opposition defences. Such an effort brought the long-awaited ‘Decima’ Champions League title last May, and it seemed Ancelotti — like Sisyphus — had managed to roll the rock to the top of the peak.