This was great man management.
Bayern Munich players don’t like being substituted.
In fairness, no footballer likes being taken off in a game, but Bayern players seem to really hate being withdrawn.
A couple of weeks ago, Arjen Robben slapped Carlo Ancelotti’s hand away, threw a water bottle and sat sulking on the bench when he substituted against Borussia Monchengladbach.
His teammates found it all hilarious.
.@ArjenRobben doesn't take too kindly to be substituted…and his @FCBayernEN teammates find it hilarious. 😂😂 https://t.co/PTygcqj9E7
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 19, 2017
Franck Ribery was one of the players laughing at Robben’s antics, but he found himself in a similar position on Saturday evening.
Bayern cruised to a 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena. Ribery got the opener, Robben scored and Robert Lewandowski scored two.
With the game wrapped up, and a Champions League tie against Real Madrid to come on Wednesday, Ancelotti decided to make a change with 15 minutes to go.
He took off Ribery for Douglas Costa, but the French winger was noticeably unhappy.
Or at least he was until Ancelotti calmed him down. The former Real Madrid manager gave him a hug and a kiss and Ribery snapped out of it.
We can’t imagine Sir Alex Ferguson would ever have tried something like this, but it shows why Ancelotti is such a good man manager.
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