Capello: “It’s a joy to watch this Barça, but Madrid needs to win.”

Fabio Capello's Milan (1949), heir to the team formed by Arrigo Sacchi, dethroned Johan Cruyff's Barça in Europe in that fateful final in Athens in 1994. He also prevented, already at Real Madrid , Cruyff's successor, Sir Bobby Robson, from winning the League with Ronaldo as their star in 1996. The third sin of the Italian sergeant, his authoritarian nature marked his career in coaching, was committed against Barça when in 2007 he prevented the Champions League champion Barça, of Rijkaard, Ronaldinho and Messi, from lifting their third consecutive League title. A scourge of Barcelona fans therefore and of white blood, the Merengue fans still recognise his merits when he walks around the Spanish capital. After a long journey as a coach and national team manager (with much less success), his now job is to comment on the work of his colleagues on Sky Italia .

The Barça idol “Lamine Yamal may be a star, but he doesn't have the genius of Maradona or Messi.”

What do you think of Hansi Flick's work at Barça?

He's done a great job. This Barça team plays a different style than the last one. They press hard, attack hard, defend poorly (laughing), but then they turn things around. But yes, it's a joy to watch them play.

Lamine Yamal has been compared to Messi, is that exaggerated?

For me, he has tremendous quality, but he can't match Messi or Maradona. He'll be a star in the future; he could win the Ballon d'Or, but he doesn't have the genius of the other two. For me, the geniuses are Maradona, Messi, and Pelé before him. They're unique. Every 20 years, one comes along. We'll have to wait and see.

Do you dare to make a prediction for the Cup final?

It'll be a tremendous fight. Madrid has to win. They're second in La Liga and have lost the Champions League. It's a crucial match for them; they have to win the Copa del Rey .

What do you think of the criticism of Ancelotti?

I know the club and the press in Madrid. When they decide they don't like someone, it's not enough what you've won. Carlo tries to do his best; he's had difficulties this year because his team hasn't had balance. He's short on defense due to injuries, like Carvajal on the right. And after Kroos's departure, he doesn't have a playmaker in midfield.

Do you think they are unfair then?

What's happening is crazy. With the titles he's won, we have to respect him. It's unfair. Someone who has won with Real Madrid the way he has and the things he's done, it's disrespectful. He's the best coach in the world for what he's done.

Ancelotti has spoken of a lack of commitment in his Madrid team.

Only he can say this. If he says it, it must be true. He doesn't cheat; he always tells the truth. It's the truth about Madrid.

What did you think of Mbappé's first year?

He spent the first half struggling to understand where he was coming to play. The Madrid shirt is the Madrid shirt. It weighs heavily. We haven't seen Mbappé for two months. The problem is that he's not a center forward. Both Vinícius and he feel better on the wing.

The Bernabéu has already whistled it.

Everyone expected Mbappé to do unique things. We'll have to wait and see what happens next year before calling him. They thought having Mbappé, Vinícius, and the rest would be a walk in the park, but it hasn't been.

How do you see PSG without Mbappé?

It's a radical change. He always tried to win the Champions League with great players like Neymar, Mbappé, and Messi. And now he has a team that doesn't wait for a genius to make a move. I think Luis Enrique has done a unique job. And he has a midfield that, for me, with Inter, is the best in the Champions League .

Does that mean it's easier to play without a crack?

It depends on the intelligence of the star (laughs). It can help you. The most important thing is to have key figures who tell the star that he has to work for the team. What I like most about PSG are their midfielders, the Portuguese.

How do you see the Champions League playoffs?

Any of the four teams in the semifinals can win the Champions League. They're teams that score a lot of goals, because in the last few matches there have been eight or nine goals. It's been impressive; that's never happened before. All four teams can clearly win. In Barça-Inter, it will be interesting to see who scores goals or who has the best defense wins. PSG-Arsenal is incredibly interesting because they're two teams that play total football . Arsenal's physical and mental fitness is very important.

Is Arsenal the team you like the most?

Arsenal has it all. They have a lot of quality and good physical condition. So does PSG, but Arsenal has something else now. They have quality and strength. They both have a good team spirit, but judging by the games they've played, Arsenal has a lot of personality. It will be a very interesting tie, but I think Arsenal will be the better team.

Does Brazil want Ancelotti, and do you see him going if he leaves Madrid?

Ancelotti is the most important coach in the world, the most successful of all, the number 1. This may be what his career is missing: winning titles with Brazil. I don't know what Brazilians say, if they like a foreigner. But I know him very well; he's been my player, and he's very intelligent.

Who do you think will win the Scudetto this year?

With no midweek games, Napoli is the favorite for me.