Ancelotti's Christmas Tree 2006-2007 // Won Euro Cup with Italy

Carlo Ancelotti at Milan

Two Champions League titles, one Serie A title, one Coppa Italia, one Italian Supercup, two European Supercups, one FIFA Club World Cup.

Carlo Ancelotti's eight years at Milan marked a turning point in his career and a return to the glory days of the Rossoneri club. It also represented a rare phenomenon in recent Italian football history.

Ancelotti, by abandoning his tactical dogmas, demonstrated to the traditionally conservative and reactive Italian football scene how it's possible to win in Europe with a different style, by fully utilizing the abundant offensive talent at his disposal. His approach was both proactive and pragmatic, focused on controlling the ball and the spaces on the field.

If in the late 1980s, another Milan coach, Arrigo Sacchi, dominated Europe by borrowing principles from Dutch Total Football, based on a structured system to be replicated tirelessly, Ancelotti designed a structure centered not on rigid principles but on the exceptional talents at his disposal.

2002/03 Season In the summer of 2002, in his second season as Milan's coach, Ancelotti had players like Rui Costa, Pirlo, and new signings Seedorf and Rivaldo in his squad. His goal was to find a system that allowed these players to coexist, utilizing their qualities without disrupting the team's collective balance.

On August 28, 2002, in the return leg of the Champions League qualifiers against Slovan Liberec, the 4-3-1-2 formation was born: Pirlo as the deep-lying playmaker, Gattuso as the right central midfielder, Seedorf as the left central midfielder, and Rui Costa as the attacking midfielder supporting strikers Inzaghi and Tomasson. Pirlo and Rui Costa had previously been considered similar players and had only played together in a Verona-Milan match the previous season.

As Ancelotti revealed in his autobiography, "Io preferisco la coppa" (I prefer the cup), it was Pirlo himself who proposed playing as a deep-lying playmaker rather than behind the forwards. Seedorf, who also started as an attacking midfielder, was moved to the left central midfield role.

On the opposite side, Gattuso, traditionally a central midfielder in a two-man midfield, was tasked with covering more ground widthwise. Inzaghi's early goal in that match symbolized what the team would become in the 2002/03 season.

On September 24, 2002, in the second match of the Champions League group stage against Deportivo La Coruña, the 4-3-2-1 formation made its debut. Rivaldo replaced Tomasson, and this tactical switch was aimed at defensive strategy.

Ancelotti explained how this decision was related to stopping Deportivo's central midfielders Mauro Silva and Sergio (who played in a 4-2-3-1 formation), their key strength.

The aim was to deny them free movement and control of the game. This led to the birth of the "Christmas tree" formation. With just one striker and two attacking midfielders (Rivaldo and Rui Costa) behind Pippo Inzaghi, Ancelotti found a way to improve both the team's defensive phase and its offensive unpredictability through a new formation for the opponents.

The Milan team won 4-0 thanks to goals from Seedorf and Inzaghi, benefitting from numerical superiority in midfield and the presence of a playmaker in each third of the field capable of managing possession, dismantling the opponent's lines, and playing more directly in wide spaces.

In terms of vertical passes, Rui Costa's ability to control the tempo of the game stood out. When he received the ball in tight spaces, he appeared slow among the opposition players, but a well-executed touch enabled him to escape marking and find space to contribute to the play.

His measured dribbling with the ball not only displayed elegance but also revealed a keen understanding of the situation, allowing him to change pace and evade opponents without aggressive movements.

As mentioned, Ancelotti's style didn't rely on rigid offensive structures but instead allowed for individual qualities and interpretations. For example, when Pirlo was marked, the team relied on the technical skills of the central defenders, Maldini and Nesta, to build from the back.

Alternatively, Ancelotti could deploy a rotation in the diamond formation, allowing Pirlo to move wide while Seedorf or Rui Costa dropped deeper to initiate the attack. The positional interchange between the Portuguese and the Dutchman typically occurred in the final two-thirds of the field.

Rui Costa would drop to the left-center to facilitate ball progression or provide the final pass, while Seedorf, essentially the only midfielder among the four players in the middle of the field, positioned himself centrally behind the opposition's midfield to dictate the final pass or take a shot.

Milan attacked primarily through the center, occasionally utilizing width. While it's true that the forwards scored several headed goals during that season, thanks in part to Kaladze's precise crosses, this was a tactic employed in established plays when the full-backs on the strong side moved forward to create space, with Shevchenko on the right and Rui Costa (or Serginho, who occasionally played as a wide forward) on the left. Their wide runs aimed to pull a marker out of position and either spread the defensive lines or create a numerical advantage with the reference full-back.

Structurally, the main change during the 2002/03 season was the promotion of Shevchenko to the starting lineup, replacing Rivaldo, resulting in a switch to a 4-3-1-2 formation. Rivaldo's relative lack of mobility and tendency to play in a fixed position didn't provide the team with the depth and off-the-ball movement that Shevchenko could offer. This led to a more vertical and, at the same time, more horizontal Milan, thanks to the constant width provided by Cafu on the right, another valuable addition to the team's collective understanding.

In the offensive phase, the former AS Roma player consistently positioned himself above the line of the ball to (a) provide a key pass by attacking the byline, (b) offer a wide outlet for the ball to circulate around the perimeter, and (c) engage the direct marker, creating a local numerical advantage in case of Kakà's runs into the space between the center-back and full-back.

2004-2006 Seasons:
The paradox of maturity. Milan between 2004 and 2006, despite reaching its peak, only won one Supercoppa Italiana, which was secured in August 2004 against Lazio.

This version of the team was more aware, less spectacular than in previous years but sharper in reading the game. It was a team capable of controlling space and possession, even when playing at a slower pace, punctuated by vertical flashes from the Pirlo-Kakà axis, which stretched the distances between opposing lines, allowing the forwards to attack the spaces behind the defensive line.

Possession became an even more critical weapon, not only for managing the game but also for passive defense. If the opponent gained geographical advantage, Milan applied targeted pressure, with a high density around the ball zone—especially when the ball reached the wings—making it difficult for the opposition to retain possession or forcing them to clear the ball.

The goal was to maximize efforts, even if it meant excessively verticalizing the plays, especially in European away matches where defensive balance often became a priority.

This Milan was cunning, seemingly less dominant, primarily attacking in transition but with superior quality in creating scoring opportunities.

The overall growth was also a result of specific additions to the squad, which expanded the roster and brought in valuable elements like Stam, as well as two prolific scorers in Crespo and Gilardino, who were acquired in the following season.

Carlo Ancelotti's Milan in 2006/2007 - Tactical Analysis:
For a Milan team that quickly fell behind in the Serie A due to an 8-point deduction, there was another Milan that reached the Champions League final despite the team's aging core, thanks to outstanding performances in the return matches against Bayern Munich (a 2-0 victory at the Allianz Arena) and Manchester United (a 3-0 win at San Siro).

It was as if Ancelotti, aware of the limited autonomy of his squad, managed the season carefully, expending maximum effort only when necessary.

Optimizing resources also involved shifting the team's balance downward. With the departure of Shevchenko and an inability to sustain four offensive players, the Christmas tree formation was adjusted. Kakà and Seedorf moved one position forward to make room for the rejuvenated Ambrosini on the left central midfield.

Ambrosini's resurgence was crucial to the team's balance, mainly due to his screening of the defense and involvement in the initial build-up. When Pirlo was marked, they would swap positions, with Ambrosini shifting inward to receive the ball and, ideally, play a vertical pass to Kakà. Kakà sought space in the central areas to gain positional advantages, which he used to unleash his powerful runs.

The 2006/07 season was, simply put, Kakà's year. Invulnerable to challenges and twice as fast as his opponents, he carried the team on his shoulders, scoring 10 goals in that Champions League campaign. Each goal was more beautiful and more decisive than the last.

This Milan was more straightforward, with one less offensive option partially balanced by width provided by both full-backs, Oddo and Jankulovski, on either side.

On established plays, both full-backs advanced simultaneously to stretch the opposing defensive structure and support ball recovery. Particularly on the right flank, Oddo provided superior passing and crossing abilities.

Defensively, when the forward and attacking midfielders couldn't disrupt the opponent's build-up, the 4-3-2-1 formation shifted to a 4-4-2, with Seedorf moving to the left midfield line, and Gattuso moving to the right.

On May 23, 2007, in Athens, Ancelotti won his second Champions League title, the seventh in Milan's history. It marked the end of an era for a group of players who would go on to win the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup the following year but had already started to decline due to their age.

Ancelotti, an enlightened coach, had guided an Italian team to European dominance by proposing a different model, based on enhancing technical skills and building strong relationships with his players, which was another key aspect of his coaching style.

As Zlatan Ibrahimovic put it, "I've never had a coach like him: I was used to the iron discipline of Capello and Mourinho, but Ancelotti is different, gentler, more patient, and he empowers the players. I've had great coaches, but never one who had such relationships with his players."

HOW TO EMULATE THIS TACTIC ON FOOTBALL MANAGER 2023

Football Manager 2023 Emulation
4-3-2-1 Ancelotti
Mentality: Positive

Formation and Settings

Milan didn’t have traditional wingers, and wing play was mainly provided by the full-backs In most cases, the ball was played through the central areas, with Pirlo as the deep-lying playmaker, Ambrosini and Gattuso on the flanks providing defensive coverage and the two advanced midfielders, Seedorf and Kakà moving forwards, linking the play (Kakà often stayed wider to receive the ball). When Milan played Gilardino as central forward, he acted as the focal point, so his role can be replicated as a target forward.

But in my tactic I chose to replicate Inzaghi’s role, because he was often in the starting XI during the second half of the season including the UEFA Champions League final match against Liverpool. Inzaghi just focused on scoring with no defensive tasks and his role can be replicated as a poacher.

PLAYERS ROLES AND INSTRUCTIONS

Goalkeeper: Dida
The sweeper-keeper role was not so common in that period so I replicated Dida’s role as a simple keeper on defend and instructed him to pass it shorter and take fewer risks.

Central Defenders : Nesta and Maldini
The center-backs stayed deep, and the defensive line was not very high. So I replicated them as simple central defenders and I instructed both of them to take fewer risks, mark tighter and close down less to avoid they leave spaces behind them.

Wing-Backs: Cafu (Oddo) and Jankulovski
As right wing-back played Oddo and Cafu (more the first than the latter), and their role can be replicated as a wing-back or a complete wing-back on attack (I chose complete wing-back) with the following instructions: pass it shorter, mark tighter, close down more, cross more often, cross aim near post (because Inzaghi often moved toward the near post to receive crosses from the right side).

As left wing-back, Jankulovski’s role can be replicated as a wing-back on attack with the instructions: close down more, mark tighter, cross aim far post and stay wider.

I selected the “mark tighter” for all the defenders and for the right central midfielder (Gattuso’s role). This instruction is not needed for other players.

Central Midfielders: Pirlo, Gattuso and Ambrosini

Deep-Lying Playmaker: Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo was the core of Milan’s play, the source of everything, he played in front of the two central defenders helping them to get out of the opponent’s pressing. He was great in dribbling and always knew how to avoid being pressed and playing short or long balls into the spaces other players could not see.

The game revolved around him, but he rarely abandoned his position, so his role can be replicated as a deep-lying playmaker on defend and he can be instructed to: close down less, take more risks (this instructions will make him attempt more vertical and pinpoint long balls, Pirlo’s specialty) and close down less (pressing was not his task, he lacked the physical skills to do it).

Right Central Midfielder: Gennaro Ivan Gattuso
Gattuso was the ball winning midfielder, the destroyer of the opponent’s play, his tasks were only defensive, even if sometimes he could try shots or crosses from the edge of the area.

His role can be replicated as a ball winning midfielder on defend with the following instructions: stay wider (doing so, he can cover your right full-back’s spaces where he moves forward), mark tighter, pass it shorter.

Left Central Midfielder: Massimo Ambrosini
Grown in Milan youth formation, he was sent on loan to Vicenza before season 2006-2007, when he came back, and this allowed Ancelotti to switch to the albero di natale (Christmas Tree tactic).

Ambrosini contributed both defensively and in attack, in defense because he won many aerial duels and became a shield for the defense when Pirlo was pressed, he switched his position with Pirlo, in attack because he could push forward to seek for decisive headers and shots.

His role can be replicated as a box to box midfielder because he does both phases (attack and defense) and can be instructed to: pass it shorter, close down less, take more risks (his passes can be more vertical) and get further forward.

Advanced midfielders duo: Clarence Seedorf and Ricardo “Ricky” Kakà
Left advanced midfielder: Clarence Seedorf
The Dutch midfielder often widened to deliver crosses, while Kakà did so to receive the ball but after it, he often moved forward and tried dribbling instead of crossing. Seedorf ‘s role can be replicated as an advanced playmaker on attack with the following instructions: pass it shorter, close down less, get further forward and move into channels because he often attempted to move towards the box and often tried also shots from the edge of the area or inside the box.

Right advanced midfielder: Ricardo Kakà
The Brazilian genius was the last one to win the Golden Ball before the 10 years and more dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He is one of the 3 players I loved the most in all my life, a real genius, great at dribbling, with an incredible acceleration (maybe only the first Ronaldo had a better acceleration than him) and great technical skills.

His role is the one which took me more time to think how to replicate it on Football Manager. At the beginning I wanted to choose a trequartista, but after watching many games of that Milan and reading many old tactical analysis made by newspapers of that period I still have, I came to the conclusion that Kakà was like a second forward who played behind Inzaghi, so a shadow striker is the perfect choice for him with the following instructions: pass it shorter, run wide with the ball (because Kakà loved to run with the ball and dribble), roam from position (for the same reason, he often left his original position), stay wider (as we said, he stayed wider waiting for the ball), shoot more often (he often attempted long shots).

Central forward: Filippo Inzaghi
Pippo Inzaghi, what we can say about him, 300 matched played with Milan, 126 goals, 50 goals in Champions League (all time 10th top scorer). He had not great technical skills and dribbling skills but he had like a sixth sense for scoring because he always knew where the ball would have gone before all other players, in the first goal against Liverpool, who told Inzaghi that Pirlo’s free-kick would have gone that way? Nobody, even Pirlo himself, but Inzaghi scored with his shoulder like that.

His role on Football Manager can only be a poacher, instructed to pass it shorter, shoot more often and move into channels. Inzaghi only focused on scoring, he had not any defensive tasks neither helped to link the play with the midfielder so it was Kakà who often received the ball on his feet while Inzaghi moved towards the box to wait for the pass.

This is all for this tactic explanation, I hope it works for you too.