Chris Dunlavy

Chris Dunlavy: Marti Cifuentes should have let Leicester City run free

Marti Cifuentes did not help his cause – or his team – by sticking rigidly to a style of play that prioritised shape and possession over creative freedom.

by
Chris Dunlavy
1 February 2026

Leicester City manager Marti Cifuentes chats with Abdul Fatawu post-match

Carlo Ancelotti’s unprecedented success hinged on the principle that great players should never be constrained by tactics.

It was a lesson learned the hard way.
As a young coach at Parma in the summer of 1997, Ancelotti rejected the chance to sign Roberto Baggio because the former Ballon d’Or winner did not suit his preferred 4-4-2 system.
Baggio, playing in a free role, hit 23 Serie A goals for Bologna that year.
Creativity
Parma, who were among the division’s lowest scorers, missed out on the title by two points. A chastened Ancelotti vowed never to make the same mistake again.
“My philos...

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