Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is happy with his man-management methods.

Ancelotti is under pressure over recent results.

He said: "The relationship with the players is what's most important, it matters a lot more than the one with the president. If there is no good feeling with the guys, you are a dead man.

"Someone calls it friendship, I simply call it respect, although I like to laugh and joke with them. The intelligent people know when it's time to get serious. Whoever defines me as 'too soft' angers me, because it is not true."