Paul Clement, the assistant to former Real Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti, has revealed how Cristiano Ronaldo evolved from wide forward to striker under the Italian.
Ancelotti received Real Madrid and won the Champions League at the top of the 2013-14 season.
Clement, who worked with Ancelotti at Chelsea, PSG, Madrid, and Bayern Munich, said that their arrival at Santiago Bernabeu marked Ronaldo’s conversion to the full-time striker.
Clement said that changing Ronaldo’s position was both a tactical and man-management masterstroke from Ancelotti.
Clement acknowledged that once they joined Real Madrid Ancelotti had the thought to show Ronaldo into a full-time striker.
“He [Ronaldo] spoke to Carlo and asked to get on the left, cutting inside, shooting, crossing, and providing key passes. Carlo just said: ‘Look it’s important for you to be comfortable and that we don’t want you to be uncomfortable,’” Clement told Goal.
Clement who praised Ancelotti’s ability to manage top players, said the Italian gaffer didn’t force the Portuguese forward to simply accept the new role.
“They had to regulate everything else to make sure he didn’t need to track his full-back so he played one system offensively.
“Then Angel Di Maria, who was on the left of midfield, would move bent the left to make a four. it had been a lopsided shape that might change to permit Ronaldo to play more advanced.”
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