Real Madrid will make a trip to Ukraine to face Shakhtar Donetsk in their third Champions League group stage game on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian side will be led by former Sassuolo manager, De Zerbi who was appointed as the head coach in the summer.
Knowing the kind of surprise his fellow Italian gaffer can produce, Ancelotti claims De Zerbi is ‘a great friend’ and warns his Real Madrid side about Shakhtar: ‘They have great personality.’
“I know De Zerbi very well and he’s a good friend,” Ancelotti said during his pre-match press conference.
“He did really well at Sassuolo and his sides have a strong identity: they play really good football.
“The fact that we haven’t played with a strong identity is because something has happened in the games,” Ancelotti continued.
“At times, such as in the Espanyol game, I tried to defend with a 4-4-2 formation, but I’m now clear about the fact that this team has to set up in a 4-3-3 formation. There will be some games in which we go with a 4-3-3 without any real wingers, but this squad is more used to playing in a 4-3-3 formation and it’s the ideal set-up for these players”.
The White Angels will be hoping to bounce back from their shocking defeat to Moldovan club Sherrif Terispol in the Champions League last month.
