Ancelotti to Maldini See you in Istanbul, right?

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti called Milan technical director Paolo Maldini immediately after the Champions League quarter-final draw and told him he expected the two sides to meet in the final of the tournament in Istanbul.

This was revealed by the legendary defender of the "Rossoneri", who played for many years under the guidance of the experienced specialist during his time in the Milan giants. In 2005, the two had the chance to win the Champions League trophy in Istanbul, but then their Milan lost to Liverpool in a dramatic shootout after 3-3 in regular time and extra time.

Real Madrid and the Italian champions are now in two different streams of the tournament and are likely to face each other all the way to the final in the Turkish metropolis. "You know what the problem is? Ancelotti, now at Real, also has unfinished business in Istanbul. Immediately after the draw, he called me and said: "Paolo, I'll see you in Istanbul, right?"

It won't be easy, but the club's history allows us to believe that. It has happened before. When you get to March-April and it's time for the Champions League, you can turn the season into something incredible. We have this chance and we want to take advantage of it.

It won't be easy, but we like to dream. If we didn't dream, we probably would have won fewer trophies in the SHL. Even in the current lineup, we have a lot of dreamers. It's good that there are. There are also realists. I was also a dreamer when I played. I like to dream. My own life is a dream come true, especially in Milan. Without the dreams, I myself would probably have fewer trophies in the SHL," commented Maldini in an interview with "La Repubblica".

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