Zidane changed the way I saw football: Ancelotti

Veteran Italian football manager Carlo Ancelotti revealed that Real Madrid's manager Zinedine Zidane changed the way he thought about the game, prompting a tactical shift that dramatically altered the course of his coaching career.

The Italian manager took charge of Serie A champions Juventus in 1999, intent on using his preferred 4-4-2 formation.

The formation change failed to yield any trophies during the former Italy international's two-season stint with them. But Ancelotti's 4-3-1-2 formation proved incredibly successful with his next club, AC Milan, with whom he won eight trophies in eight years.

"The first time that I met Zinedine Zidane was in the first year in Juventus and I found a fantastic player," Ancelotti was quoted as saying by goal.com on Sunday.

Ancelotti feels that he owes Zidane, whom he later employed as his assistant coach at Real Madrid, a huge debt of gratitude.

"Zidane was the key for me to change my idea of football because I was always used to playing 4-4-2. At Juventus I changed my system, to play a player like him behind two strikers because I didn't want to change the position. He was really fantastic," the 56-year-old said.