If you need a pragmatic coach who has seen it all in football, you turn to current Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.
There isn't a single situation that the great Italian manager hasn't come across in his 1,259 games as a coach, having taken charge of countless matches of titanic proportions during an illustrious career.
The 64-year-old will, therefore, have no qualms about leading his side out in this weekend's El Clasico against Barcelona. Ancelotti has plenty of experience of this fixture over his two spells as Real Madrid boss, knowing full well the significance that this rivalry has across Spain.
But how does Ancelotti's El Clasico record stack up against the recent greats who have resided in the Real Madrid dugout? Let's take a look at the Italian's record compared to Jose Mourinho's and Zinedine Zidane's.
Carlo Ancelotti's Clasico record as Real Madrid manager
It's fair to say that Ancelotti's El Clasico record is very evenly-split. In the 13 previous meetings, Ancelotti has been victorious in six and lost seven - never having overseen a draw in this famous fixture.
Ancelotti lost both of his first two Clasicos, including a vintage 4-3 encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu in which Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick, but won two of his next three before parting ways with Madrid in 2015.
Since returning to the Spanish capital in 2021, Ancelotti has won four and lost four Clasicos, including being on both ends of 4-0 humiliations.
The veteran's most recent meeting with Barcelona saw his side put four unanswered goals past their rivals at Camp Nou in the Copa del Rey semi-final, going on to win the final two months later against Osasuna. However, Ancelotti has actually lost three of his last four Clasicos.
Jose Mourinho's Clasico record as Real Madrid manager
Sparks always flew when Mourinho was in the Real Madrid dugout for a Clasico, forging a fierce rivalry with Pep Guardiola during the Spaniard's tenure at Barcelona. His antics on the touchline were always noteworthy, even poking opposing assistant manager Tito Villanova in the eye during a particularly spicy derby.
Behind Liverpool, Barcelona are the side that Mourinho has faced most frequently in his career, but only 17 have come in Clasicos. Mourinho's record in this fixture is far from perfect, winning just five, drawing six and losing six against Barca as Madrid boss.
His first ever Clasico was a humbling 5-0 defeat at Camp Nou, only picking up a single victory in his first ten matches. Admittedly, that victory was a 1-0 Copa del Rey final triumph, one of only three trophies he managed at the Bernabeu.
Mourinho's record improved as time went on, going unbeaten in his final five meetings with Barcelona before leaving Madrid in 2013 - a record that notably improved in the four encounters after Guardiola left Catalonia.
Zinedine Zidane's Clasico record as Real Madrid manager
Zidane had the fortune of managing Real Madrid in one of the more problematic and underwhelming stages in recent Barcelona history, something reflected in his excellent Clasico record.
In 11 encounters with Barcelona as a coach, Zidane won six, drew three and lost just two - a significantly stronger record than Ancelotti or Mourinho.
The former Madrid player won his first Clasico all the way back in 2016, with both defeats coming in the next two seasons. One was a 3-2 thriller in which a stoppage-time Messi strike broke Madrid hearts and the other was a disappointing 3-0 home defeat to a sub-par Barca side.
However, the majority of Zidane's experiences on the sidelines were positive, registering victories in each of his final three Clasicos. The Frenchman's reign proved a fairly dominant one for Madrid in Spain and, most significantly, on the European stage, with Barcelona struggling to get the better of their rivals on too many occasions.
Carlo Ancelotti's Clasico record compared to Jose Mourinho and Zinedine Zidane
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This article was originally published on 90min as Carlo Ancelotti's managerial record in El Clasico compared to Jose Mourinho and Zinedine Zidane.
