Carlo Ancelotti poses with cigar alongside Real Madrid stars after being crowned La Liga champions, picture surfaces

Surrounded by four of his players, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti posed with a cigar during the team’s La Liga victory parade. The picture, which was posted on Vinicius Junior’s Instagram account, has drawn attention from fans and celebrities alike.

Needing a point to secure their 35th La Liga title, Los Blancos welcomed Espanyol to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Saturday (30 April). The visitors held firm for the opening half-hour, but it was not going to stay that way for long. In the 33rd minute, Rodrygo Goes finished superbly from a Marcelo pass to put Real Madrid in front. Ten minutes later, he doubled his tally, slotting the ball into the bottom left-corner.

Marco Asensio and substitute Karim Benzema added two more to Los Merengues’ tally, sealing a 4-0 win and ushering in the title celebrations. The team first lifted the trophy inside the Bernabeu and celebrated with the fans inside the stadium. They then hopped on their open-top party bus and headed to Cibeles, where captain Marcelo would put the club’s scarf around the deity’s neck.

En route to the grand event, players and the coaching staff interacted with fans from the bus, showcased the trophy, and took pictures amongst themselves. One such brilliant picture has found its way into Viniciu’s Instagram feed, where Ancelotti can be seen striking a pose with a cigar. Apart from Vinicius, three other players, Eder Militao, David Alaba, and Rodrygo are also seen surrounding their boss.

Here’s the picture in all its glory:

The 62-year-old coach is not the most expressive man in football, which makes this photo all the more precious. It will be interesting to see what he comes up with if Real Madrid end up winning the Champions League later this month.

---

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti becomes the first manager to win all top-five European leagues

In his previous spell as Los Blancos coach, Carlo Ancelotti guided the club to their 10th Champions League title (La Decima) and the Spanish Cup. This time, he has helped them win the Spanish top-flight title, making history in the process.

Having taken Real Madrid to their 35th La Liga triumph, Ancelotti has become the first manager in history to win all top-five European leagues.

He first guided AC Milan to the Serie A title in the 2004-05 season. Then came Chelsea’s Premier League glory in the 2009-10 campaign. The Italian next lifted the Ligue 1 title (2012-13) during his spell with Paris Saint-Germain before winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich in 2016-17. What a legend!

---