Ancelotti: Liverpool picking Klopp over me was ‘right choice’

Carlo Ancelotti believes Liverpool “made a right choice” by appointing Jurgen Klopp instead of him.

Ancelotti interviewed for the Liverpool job and was among the leading candidates to replace Brendan Rodgers upon his sacking in October 2015.

The Italian had left Real Madrid the previous summer and did not find work again until taking over at Bayern Munich in 2016.

Liverpool went for Klopp instead and are now on course to end the season as world, European and Premier League champions. Ancelotti understands.

“It was after [I left] Real Madrid, I had a chat with the owner,” Ancelotti said.

“They were looking for a new manager but I think they made a right choice with Jurgen. He is doing fantastic work at Liverpool, so well done.”

“Jurgen is my friend, we have a good relationship and I had the luck to beat him last season as well, although they won the competition.

“At Napoli it was the same, we were able to do a great performance because to beat Liverpool you have to do a great performance, a normal performance is not enough.

“Everything has to be perfect. You must work hard, sacrifice, show intensity – to beat them your game has to be complete.

“You cannot defend for 90 minutes and we do not want to defend for 90 minutes. We want to have the possibility to play our football.”