Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is expecting the Champions League final against Liverpool to feel like a Merseyside derby.
Ancelotti's Los Blancos earned a dramatic victory in their semi-final over Manchester City on Wednesday, securing a 3-1 win on the night after extra-time and a 6-5 success on aggregate.
Madrid did appear on the cusp of elimination, though, as they were trailing 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu going into the final minute. However, two last-gasp goals from Rodrygo prompted the additional 30 minutes and Madrid carried the momentum into extra-time, with Karim Benzema's penalty sending them through.
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For Ancelotti, the upcoming showdown in Paris with Liverpool will be his fifth European Cup final. Two of those have come against the Reds. In 2005, Liverpool prevailed in Istanbul against his AC Milan side, while two years later the Italian giants gained a measure of revenge.
In 2019, a different layer was added to Ancelotti's rivalry with the Anfield club, as he joined Everton. However, after a season-and-a-half on Merseyside, the Italian returned to Real Madrid for a second spell, having steered the Toffees to 10th in his only full term in charge of the Goodison Park outfit.
And speaking after Wednesday's remarkable win, Ancelotti said he still has an affinity for his former club.
"I'm very happy to play another Champions League final," he told the press conference, per MadridXtra. "Playing against Liverpool is like a derby for me, I'm still a fan of Everton!"
The win over City was the third time in the knockout stages of the Champions League this season that Madrid have come from behind to progress and Ancelotti spoke to BT Sport (h/t MailOnline ) about the resilience of his players.
"If you have to say why, it is the history of this club that helps us to keep going when it seems that we are gone," he explained. "The game was close to finished and we managed to find the last energy we had. We played a good game against a strong rival.
"When we are able to equalise we had a psychological advantage in extra-time. I have no time to think about this [losing the game]. It was difficult as City had control of the game but the last opportunity we were able to go to extra-time."
