Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti states, “The most crucial aspect of management is interpersonal relationships.”

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has rebelled on occasion this season at the idea he is ‘simply a man manager’, and implicitly less well versed tactically than his peers. That idea continues to be proven wrong, but Ancelotti did highlight that man-management was the most important part of his job in the build up to the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund.

He was keen to underline that in his view, regardless of how he prepared his players in terms of coaching, creating a good atmosphere was more important to him.

“I believe that a fundamental aspect of our life are the interpersonal relationships. It is the most important thing, always based on respect for the person. It is what I want to do because I feel good doing this. I hope that the players and the people who work with me understand this. The interpersonal relationship is more important than the professional one.”

In terms of his preparation in particular for this week, Ancelotti was also asked whether much of the work he would do would be based around the mental side of the game.

“I’m not a psychologist, but I have a lot of experience in dressing rooms. The relatoionships are the most important things. I try to speak to people with respect, not only about sports, but also about personal life. We are in an environment with 50 people, I spend more time with my players than with my wife or my kids, so if there is not a good working environment, we are not doing a good job.”

Ancelotti is certainly in a position to explain how to be successful, as he seeks to become the manager with the most Champions League titles to his name on Saturday night. The Italian coach was drafted in as an emergency, and has taken a Real Madrid squad that many felt needed serious changes to two Champions League finals in three years, and two Liga titles.