The Champions League is synonymous with Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have reached the semifinals an astonishing 12 times in the last 14 years. These are extraordinary numbers even for a team that has mastered the competition, having won a record 14 titles and aiming for their 15th, with five of those triumphs coming in the last decade.

From 2014, when the trophy was within Atletico Madrid’s grasp, to 2022, when they staged two incredible comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City before beating Liverpool in the final with a classic display of resilience, scoring the winning goal in the 50th minute and then expertly managing the game. And let’s not forget Thibaut Courtois’s heroics in goal.

But the Champions League is also Carlo Ancelotti’s domain. The master of cups, the Real Madrid manager has reached the 11th semifinal of his career, surpassing Pep Guardiola’s ten. While some might argue that Los Blancos endured a rather chaotic evening against Chelsea, a bit of luck is also necessary to consistently reach the top four in Europe every year.

Calling it luck in Ancelotti’s case would be an understatement. It might happen once, twice, maybe even three times. But ten semifinals is an astronomical number for anyone, let alone a single coach who has won four Champions League titles and already holds the record, which he could further extend.

Up next, they face his former club, Bayern Munich, for an epic clash, a classic of European football. Then comes Wembley, England, where he won his first Champions League final against Juventus. Over two decades ago.