Real Madrid have used several different coaches against Barcelona over the past decade, but two names stand above the rest in the modern Clasico rivalry: Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti. Both won the Champions League with the club, and both had to face Barcelona multiple times a season. So who actually has the better record in this fixture.
Zidane’s record: efficient and hard to beat
Zinedine Zidane managed Real Madrid across two spells, from January 2016 to May 2018, and again from March 2019 to May 2021. In that time, he faced Barcelona 11 times as a coach, picking up 6 wins, 3 draws and only 2 losses across all competitions, according to figures compiled by Managing Madrid.
What stands out most is Zidane’s away record. He never lost at Camp Nou as Real Madrid coach, winning three times and drawing three more in six visits. His Clasicos also produced some of the most memorable Madrid performances of the era, including the 5-1 rout at Camp Nou in October 2020.
Ancelotti’s record: more games, a tougher final stretch
Carlo Ancelotti’s two spells in charge, from 2013 to 2015 and again from 2021 to 2025, gave him far more Clasicos to manage, 25 in total across all competitions. His overall tally reads 10 wins, 3 draws and 12 losses, based on figures reported by Sports Illustrated.
Ancelotti’s record looked considerably stronger before his final season. Heading into 2024-25 he had a winning head-to-head against Barcelona, with 10 wins, 3 draws and only 9 losses. Three defeats in a row against Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side, in La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup final and the Copa del Rey final, tipped the balance the other way before he left the club in May 2025.
Head to head: the numbers side by side
- Zidane: 11 Clasicos, 6 wins, 3 draws, 2 losses
- Ancelotti: 25 Clasicos, 10 wins, 3 draws, 12 losses
- Zidane win percentage: roughly 55 percent
- Ancelotti win percentage: roughly 40 percent
By win rate, Zidane comes out clearly ahead, and he remains the only Real Madrid coach of the last decade never to have lost a Clasico away from home. Ancelotti’s larger sample size, and the brutal final year against Flick’s Barcelona, explain most of the gap.
Where things stand in 2026
Both coaches have since moved on from Santiago Bernabeu. Ancelotti left in the summer of 2025 to take charge of the Brazil national team, while his successor Xabi Alonso lasted only until January 2026, when he was replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa. Arbeloa’s own spell in the job ended in June 2026, and Real Madrid have since brought back Jose Mourinho, who returned to the club in July 2026 on a contract running to 2029.
Whoever takes charge of the next Clasico will be judged against both benchmarks. For now, Zidane’s shorter but sharper record gives him the edge, while Ancelotti’s longevity and trophy count keep the debate alive among Real Madrid supporters.
For more on the current Real Madrid squad and upcoming fixtures, see our players section, and check the matches page for the next meeting between the two rivals.
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