Sunday, 19th October, 2014
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he tried to sign Steven Gerrard from Liverpool during his time in charge of AC Milan.
Ancelotti, whose Milan met Liverpool in the Champions League finals of 2005 and 2007, winning one and losing one, is a firm fan of Gerrard and was dreaming of paring him up with Andrea Pirlo in the Rossoneri engine room.
But Gerrard, who famously snubbed Chelsea to remain at Liverpool despite Jose Mourinho's advances, was not prepared to ditch his boyhood club and Ancelotti was left disappointed.
The Italian is keen to stress he did try however.
"He's one of the players I would have loved to coach", Ancelotti explained to the Sun on Sunday.
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"And I thought about him so many times in the past when I was at Milan.
"But it was impossible because he was very much linked with Liverpool. We had sounded him out but Gerrard's bond with Liverpool was unbreakable.
"I don't remember exactly what year it was but we did try. Of course, I wanted to pair him up with Pirlo, it was a fantastic combination", the Italian, who got a closer look at Gerrard on a regular basis during his time in charge at Chelsea, added.
"Putting Gerrard in midfield with Pirlo. It would have been fantastic."
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