Carlo Ancelotti: 'Almost a miracle' to coach Real Madrid for 300 games

Real Madrid will host Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Tuesday night, in a Spanish La Liga contest that serves as Carlo Ancelotti's 300th match as the club's head coach. The milestone will make the 65-year-old just the second manager to do so in team history after Miguel Munoz (605 games).

Los Blancos praised Ancelotti as "the most successful coach in the club's history" alongside Munoz, after the Italian led them to two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies and three UEFA Champions League titles among other honors.

"I'm not thinking about my future whatsoever, I love this job," Ancelotti said at a press conference on Monday. "I have been lucky enough to coach great clubs, and tomorrow will mark my 300th game at the best club in the world. It is something special to be in this dugout, to do it 300 times is not quite a miracle, but it is almost a miracle."

"Sure, you can't compare my tiredness to that of the players. There is pressure, responsibility, but I love it. At the moment I don't see myself as having an expiry date, I'd love to stay here for many years to come," he added.

Real Madrid are currently second in La Liga with 14 points, four behind leaders Barcelona, after finishing their first six games with four wins and two draws.

"Some records are about winning and others are about not losing. We are coming from a very long run and that means a lot of success, because draws often help you a lot," the coach told reporters. "I think that in football, if you can't win, at least don't lose. Sometimes a draw gives a better feeling than a defeat."

"Defeat gives options to improve, that's true. But our success in the Champions League in the past lies in our solidity, in the way we compete," he concluded. "It has taken us a while to find this solidity at the start of the season, but we are going to find it, because the mental attitude of the players is very good."