Rafa Benitez and Frank Lampard, among others, are largely to blame for Everton’s recent setbacks due to their poor managerial abilities.

But if Carlo Ancelotti had not abandoned ship, they would not have even been there.

Brought in following the disappointing tenure of Marco Silva, few could understand how Farhad Moshiri had managed to tempt the legendary Italian tactician to Merseyside, especially given their mounting financial issues.

In the end, despite making clear progress under his leadership, the allure of a return to Real Madrid proved too much, and the 64-year-old would waste no time in making his decision.

Since then, the Toffees have been involved in dogfights to avoid relegation, while the former AC Milan star’s 2022 Champions League victory served as justification for the transfer.

However, even though the Merseyside outfit may be one of the weaker teams on his CV, that does not excuse the comments made recently by sections of the Spanish media.

One journalist, Javier Rubiano, even lambasted his comments following Los Blancos’ draw with Rayo Vallecano, noting: ‘Real Madrid is not Everton.’

He would go on to say that, as the manager of “the most demanding club in the world,” Ancelotti’s level of conduct should change and that such a notion was “surprising.”