Ranking managers with most Champions League final appearances

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti survived another breathtaking European night at the Santiago Bernabeu as his team unimaginably saw off Manchester City 3-1, (6-5 on aggregate) to book a Champions League final date with Liverpool. 

The Los Blancos looked dead and buried when Riyad Mahrez gave City the lead in the 73rd minute,5-3 aggregate, but they dug themselves out thanks to Rodrygo’s late brace to force extra time.

Karim Benzema, who has been in sensational form this season, then scored from the spot in extra time to give the hosts the win, sending them to their 17the final. 

It will be the fifth final for Ancelotti, the highest in the competition’s history. 

The Italian moves clear of Marcelo Lippi, Sir Alex Ferguson, Miguel Nunoz, and Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool side is waiting in the Paris final. 

Carlo Ancelotti = first man to coach in five European Cup finals ?#UCL pic.twitter.com/OgdPK0cYtX

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 4, 2022

This comes a few days after he reached yet another landmark when Real Madrid lifted the LaLiga crown. 

By doing so, Ancelotti became the first manager to win all of Europe’s top-five leagues. 

It will be a repeat of the 2018 final in which Real Madrid beat the Klopp’s Reds 3-1 to be crowned champions.