Ancelotti, who has the nickname of ‘Don Carlo’ in Spain, is the most successful manager in European Cup and Champions League history, having won the trophy a record five times.
He is also the only manager to reach six finals and, like Guardiola, is one of seven men to have won the tournament as both a player and a manager having triumphed twice with AC Milan in 1989 and 1990.
The 65-year-old also holds the distinction of being the only manager to win league titles in all of Europe’s big five leagues – England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.
Like the Italian, Guardiola has also scooped major honours in stints at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City, winning La Liga and the Bundesliga three times apiece and the Premier League on six occasions.
“Guardiola is a coach who has brought a lot to football, an innovator, and I have a lot of respect for him,” Ancelotti added.
“He’s one of the best, if not the best. Every time we play against each other, it’s a nightmare to prepare for the games, because he always has ideas that make you think.”
Guardiola’s coaching spell at the Nou Camp was also notable for delivering one of the greatest club teams of the modern era – featuring Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi – amid fierce competition from a star-studded Real squad.
The 54-year-old is level with Bob Paisley and Zinedine Zidane on three European Cup wins as manager.
He has the edge on Ancelotti when it comes to their head-to-head contests, having had six victories to the Italian’s four, with Guardiola’s teams scoring 28 goals and conceding 21 in their 13 matches.
In mitigation, Ancelotti could point to the fact that 12 goals against and four of those defeats arrived while he was managing Everton, a club with disparate ambitions to both Real and City.
