Real Madrid: Ancelotti, Zinédine Zidane... Gareth Bale gives his clear verdict | OneFootball

Gareth Bale opens up about Carlo Ancelotti and Zinédine Zidane

Real Madrid: Ancelotti, Zinédine Zidane... Gareth Bale gives his clear verdict

During his time at Real Madrid, Gareth Bale played under both Carlo Ancelotti and Zinédine Zidane. The Welshman has shared his thoughts on both managers.

Gareth Bale spoke at length about his spell at Real Madrid on the Stick to Football podcast. He discussed the differences between Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti when it came to handling the Madrid dressing room. According to the former Welsh winger, the French coach relied above all on his aura and his playing career to assert himself.

"He didn't focus much on tactics. We did the bare minimum: training, possession, shooting, and that was it. Maybe fifteen minutes of defensive tactics. But he earned everyone's respect thanks to what he had achieved as a player. He even joined the training sessions, and he brought me down a few times—he still had the level," Bale recounted.

However, Bale puts Ancelotti at the top when it comes to management: "Carlo's management style was the best. Even when you weren't playing, he treated you like his best friend. He had this gift for keeping everyone in good spirits and getting the best out of them. But he also had a ruthless side: if you didn't train well, he showed no mercy. Same at half-time. He struck the perfect balance."