The European football community is boiling ahead of the battle between the two best coaches, Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Barcelona’s Hansi Flick, ahead of the El Clásico match in La Liga on May 5, 2025. According to Marca and @footballespana’s X post, Ancelotti threw out 8 provocative words: “Flick is only good at coaching small teams.” This statement was given at the pre-match press conference, to attack Flick’s success at Barcelona. However, Flick’s sharp reactions not only made Ancelotti and Real Madrid silent, but also shocked Europe.
Flick, who turned Barcelona into an attacking machine with Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski, responded on Movistar+: “The result will tell instead of my height.” That short but confident line quickly became the focus on X, with @culepride praising the film for “Putting Ancelotti in the right place.” The upcoming El Clásico match at the Santiago Bernabéu is seen as a chance for Flick to prove his Barcelona are not only strong but can also outperform Real Madrid, the side who lead La Liga by 3 points.
Ancelotti, with four Champions League titles to his name, obviously wanted to exert psychological pressure on Flick, who only joined Barcelona in 2024 but led the team to the Champions League final and the Spanish Super Cup championship. However, his speech was criticized as disrespectful, especially after Flick led Bayern Munich to a treble win in 2020. @halamadridvn’s X-post defended Ancelotti, saying he was just “stirring up” the game, but @lalifanclub called this a “tactical error” when Barcelona was in peak form.
Flick’s reaction not only shows confidence but also strengthens Barcelona’s spirit. According to Sport, players like Yamal and Gavi publicly supported the coach, with Yamal claiming on Instagram: “We’re ready for the Bernabéu.” Meanwhile, Real Madrid, despite owning Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham, are facing pressure following Rodrygo’s departure and Kylian Mbappé’s shaky performance. Some pundits, such as Guillem Balagué on the BBC, predicted this confrontation would be a turning point for the season, with a film with a psychological advantage following the response.
Fans around the world eagerly await El Clásico, not only for the historic rival but also for the battle between the two greatest tactical minds. Ancelotti, with his vast experience, will need to prove that his words are not superficial, while Flick has the opportunity to turn his response into a victory on the pitch. Regardless of the outcome, this battle has heightened the drama of El Clásico, making it a must-see match in the history of Spanish football.
