FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski praised Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti during an interview with BILD.

The pair worked together at Bayern Munich for a season and a bit in the mid-2010s. Ancelotti replaced the Catalans' former manager Pep Guardiola, but was then shown the door as 2017 drew to a close.

Fast forward to 2024, and Lewandowski and Ancelotti's former team Bayern are ready to take on the Italian's current employers Real Madrid in the Champions League last four where the first leg takes place in Bavaria on Tuesday.

To BILD, Lewandowski reflected on why things panned out as they did for the elite European competition's most successful manager of all time while also praising him heavily.

"It was a new country, a new culture for him. If Carlo were to return to Germany, he would know exactly what he had to do differently. It's not easy to train or play in Germany as a foreigner," Lewandowski pointed out.

"If Carlo had stayed a little longer and we had overcome the difficult phase with him, then [building] an era with him would have been possible.... If Carlo had survived the difficult moment, everything would have been easier for everyone afterwards. He has incredible experience."

"At Real Madrid you can see it: the players are following them blindly. Carlo is a great guy who always talked a lot with the players. He gave me a special feeling. Not just self-confidence, but the feeling that I can take one or two more steps in my career," Lewandowski said about the renowned, expert man-manager.

Lewandowski did this by winning the Champions League in 2020 under Hansi Flick and then becoming a worthy contender for the Ballon d'Or.

There is a feeling that he might have relieved Barca legend Lionel Messi of the France Football gong had it not taken said year off because of the pandemic, with the pair later falling out over a misunderstanding related to the Ballon d'Or and FIFA's The Best prize.

According to El Nacional, Messi has blocked Inter Miami's interest in potentially signing the Pole who has been linked with a move away from Barca.

Should he stay put and continue in Catalonia, however, Lewandowski and Ancelotti will continue to face off on opposite sides of Spain's biggest footballing rivalry.