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Carlo Ancelotti reveals he 'tried to kill' one of his own players during his time in charge of Chelsea

Ancelotti, who led the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010, also admits he left out Didier Drogba for a match after he arrived 30 minutes late

Jack de Menezes
Monday 25 November 2013 13:47 GMT
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Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he "tried to kill" one of his own players during his time at Chelsea
Carlo Ancelotti has admitted he "tried to kill" one of his own players during his time at Chelsea (GETTY IMAGES)

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Current Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has made the rather astonishing revelation that one player had infuriated him so much during his spell in charge at Chelsea that he had “tried to kill him”.

Ancelotti took over the helm at Stamford Bridge in 2009 and guided the Blues to a Premier League and FA Cup double in his first season in charge, resulting in a favourable relationship with the Chelsea faithful being maintained despite his sacking the season after.

However, the Italian has spoken of his approach to management by handling players individually, but one of those under his tenure had pushed him beyond the edge during his time in London.

Speaking to The Times, Ancelotti said: “We've never had any problems with the players, just one time at Chelsea. One player didn't show respect and I tried to kill him but it wasn't possible.

“The player is the property of the club and sometimes you cannot do what you want.”

The man in question cannot be identified according to the report, but Ancelotti insists it is someone with a “well-documented history of misdemeanours”.

The 54-year-old also admitted that he once left their talismanic striker Didier Drogba out of the squad after he arrived late for a match, insisting that it resulted in a mutual respect between the player and the manager which is crucial for success.

“One time Drogba arrived 30 minutes late for a game, so he didn't play, but the key is mutual respect,” Ancelotti added.

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