Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has said he agrees “100%” with Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s viral claim there is “no failure in sports.”
The power forward’s passionate answer in response to a news conference question on whether their season had been a failure went viral after his team’s elimination from the NBA playoffs by the Miami Heat.
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“It’s not a failure, it’s a step to success,” Antetokounmpo, an NBA champion and finals MVP in 2021, and a seven-time NBA All-Star, said on Wednesday.
“Michael Jordan played for 15 years and won six championships. Were the other nine years a failure? It’s the wrong question. There’s no failure in sports.”
Ancelotti praised the NBA star for his comments, saying in a news conference on Monday: “What Antetokounmpo said was fantastic. I think in 100% the same way as him.
“In sport you can’t talk about failure, and in life you can’t talk about failure. Failure is when you don’t try to do something as well as you can. When you try to do your best, you have a clear conscience, and that’s never a failure, not just in sport but in life.”
Madrid look certain to miss out on this season’s LaLiga title, trailing leaders Barcelona by 11 points with six games remaining.
“In sport, you lose a lot more often than you win,” Ancelotti, who is the most-decorated manager in Champions League history, added.
“I have a big cabinet with a lot of trophies, but if I had to include all the ones I’ve lost, it wouldn’t be a cabinet, it would be a house.”
Madrid face Real Sociedad in LaLiga on Tuesday before taking on Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday. Ancelotti’s side then face one of their toughest tests of the season against Manchester City in their Champions League semifinal first leg on May 9.
Ancelotti has been linked with taking over the vacant Brazil national team job this summer, although reports in Brazil have suggested that the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) have set a May 25 deadline to secure a candidate.
“I’ve said that I won’t talk about my future. But I’ll answer: a deadline is silly. But I won’t talk about my future … There’s no deadline because I haven’t spoken to anyone!” Ancelotti said.
Madrid visit Sociedad without the suspended Vinicius Junior and Eduardo Camavinga, and Ancelotti confirmed defender David Alaba will not feature as he recovers from injury.
However, the Italian coach said there was “good news” about midfielder Luka Modric, who “could be available” for Saturday’s cup final.