What managers come to mind when you think of UEFA Champions League glory? For fans who started watching the competition in the 90s, legendary names like Fabio Capello, Luis Van Gaal, and Sir Alex Ferguson come to mind. However, if you got into football in the 2000s like me, Carlo Ancelotti, Jose Mourinho, and Pep Guardiola would be the names that jump out. Despite the generational gap, one thing these managers have in common is that they’ve achieved the very difficult feat of leading a club to UCL glory. (sometimes, more than once!) So, what can we learn from these tacticians ahead of this weekend’s UCL final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid? Read on to find out! **What makes the Champions League so special?** The Champions League is undoubtedly the best club competition in the world. Bringing together 32 of the best teams from Europe’s top nations guarantees a spectacle like no other. Also, participating in the competition is a massive boost for clubs in terms of finances and reputation, and even as a means to attract the very best players. The absence/presence of Champions League football is often a crucial factor for top players when deciding on a transfer. A fine UCL performance can also catapult young players into the spotlight, instantly putting them on the radar of top clubs. A prime example is Mykhailo Mudryk, who was relatively unknown until his impressive group stage displays for Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2022 season earned him a move to Chelsea.
**The Pressure to Succeed in the UCL** In addition to the biggest talents, the UCL has also been graced by some of the best managers in the business, backed by club owners who will spare no expense, sometimes without the desired result. Just ask PSG, who’ve spent billions and cycled through a whole bunch of managers in search of that elusive Champions League title. As the competition has grown in popularity, more managers have made a name for themselves with their innovative tactics and relentless passion for the game. However, with the vast amounts of money now at stake, the pressure to succeed has increased ten-fold, and even elite managers face scrutiny if they fail to deliver. A prime example is Arsene Wenger, a pioneer who transformed English football, yet still faces criticism for never winning a Champions League title. To this day, Arsenal’s European shortcomings are still ridiculed, highlighting the unforgiving nature of the competition. **2023-24 UCL Final: Underdogs vs Perennial winners** This year’s final is around the corner, and before we get to the full-time prediction, let us take a moment to examine the two managers involved this year. The term “punching above your weight” means overachieving - going far and beyond what anyone expected of you. That’s exactly what Edin Terzic has done with this Borussia Dortmund squad. This is a real underdog story. Nobody expected Dortmund to qualify from a group involving PSG, Newcastle, and AC Milan, but they finished top, losing just one game. They were favourites against PSV but were not fancied to get past Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid. If you need a reason to back Dortmund against Madrid, pull up a video of their defensive performance against PSG in the semi-final. Their pre-game underdog status mattered little as they relied on an imperious defence to shut down Kylian Mbappe and set up a Wembley meeting against Real Madrid. The last time we saw an underdog of this nature make the UCL final was in 2019 when Mauricio Pochettino led Tottenham to the final where they faced (and lost to) Liverpool. This time around, Terzic will hope to go a step further by defeating Real Madrid on June 1, for the perfect ending to arguably the biggest UCL underdog story in the last 20 years. **Do you believe Borussia Dortmund can shock the world by winning the trophy?** [Take advantage of our amazing odds and back the Yellow Submarine to triumph in Wembley](https://m.betking.com/sports/events/prematch/football/uefa/champions-league). In the opposition dugout, we have Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti, a legendary figure in the Champions League era. Unlike his opponent, he already has a legendary career, and he’ll be looking to burnish an already glittering reputation on Saturday. **But where does he stand among the top 5 greatest UCL managers of all time?**
**5. Sir Alex Ferguson (2 titles with Manchester United)** Sir Alex holds the record for most Champions League matches managed (194), and his journey was marked by both triumph and heartbreak. After years of disappointment, he finally won the trophy in 1999 in that famous final against Bayern Munich, where the Red Devils scored two goals in two stoppage time minutes to complete an incredible comeback and win the trophy. He won his second UCL trophy with the 2008 team that featured Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and more. Ferguson’s Champions League legacy is remarkable, despite losses against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. Despite this, his longevity and 54%-win ratio puts him up there with the greatest managers in the competition’s history. **4. Jose Mourinho (2 titles with FC Porto, Inter Milan)** If you’ve ever seen the popular TV show Game of Thrones, you have an idea of what Mourinho’s career has been like. Exciting, brutal, and fierce in the early years, but fizzling out right at the end. Mourinho burst onto the scene with Porto in 2004, winning the Champions League and charming fans with his high-powered brand of football and his patented 4-3-3. Next, he transformed Chelsea into a European powerhouse but failed to win the Champions League with them. However, his greatest triumph came at Inter Milan, where he stopped Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona juggernaut on his way to a treble. Since then, his career has been on a downward spiral despite managing some of the biggest clubs in world football. However, no one can take away with he is; a UCL-winning coach with two unfancied teams. **3. Zinedine Zidane (3 titles with Real Madrid)** Winning matters. And Zinedine Zidane won big with three Champions League titles in just two-and-a-half seasons as a manager. That’s faster than Carlo Ancelotti, who took 11 seasons to win three. A legendary playing career easily translated to his coaching career as he dominated the mid-late 2010s. And while ‘Zizou’ has been unfairly accused of failing to set any tactical trends and “just relying on the talent of the Real Madrid squad”, no one wins even one UCL trophy without being good at what they do. And the man won three of them! And I think I speak for the great man when I say to the Zizou naysayers, do am if e easy! **2. Pep Guardiola (3 titles with Barcelona, Manchester City)** Guardiola stunned the footballing world in 2009with a Treble win, and a revolutionary style of play. In his first season as manager! His Barcelona team took the game to a new level, and a large part of modern football has been shaped by that team’s possesion-based style. It’s not been plain sailing all his career - he failed to win the UCL at Bayern Munich, but after joining Manchester City, and suffering defeat to Chelsea in the 2021 final, the Catalan made amends with a 2023 UCL final win over Inter Milan. That UCL win meant that he delivered a first treble for Manchester City in 2023 and solidified his legacy forever. **1. Carlo Ancelotti (4 titles with AC Milan, Real Madrid)** Ancelotti helped Real Madrid achieve their long-awaited “La Decima” in 2014, joining the elite group of three-time European Cup/Champions League winners, alongside Bob Paisley. He won it again in 2022, defeating Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool in the final to become the first manager to win the coveted trophy four times. Ancelotti was already a legend when he arrived in Madrid, having led Milan to two Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007. The Italian is still thriving, and with another final around the corner, he has a chance to win a fifth UEFA Champions League trophy. So, what do you think? Dortmund will be no pushovers, but if there’s any manager you should back on a Champions League night, that man is Don Carlo. Can Real Madrid extend their record number of UEFA Champions League titles to 15? Enjoy free VIP tips today and back the greatest UCL manager to lead Los Blancos to victory in Wembley. BetKing also has exciting (and massive!) Bet Builder markets in what should be a thrilling final.
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