Will Carlo Ancelotti Leave Real Madrid After Copa del Rey Final?
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave the club after the season, to be new head coach of the Brazil national team, reported The Athletic on Sunday, citing people familiar to the matter.
The recent buzz in the footballing sphere has been Carlo Ancelotti’s future as Real Madrid coach after poor defeats in the Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League.
Several pundits have raised questions on the tactics and strategies of the Real Madrid manager, after the club has failed to play a convincing style of football in crucial matches, which might result in them ending this season without any major trophy. There have also been rumours will Carlo Ancelotti leave Real Madrid in the middle of the season after a string of poor results.
Will Carlo Ancelotti Leave Real Madrid?
According to various media reports, Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave Real Madrid as manager and is expected to take the Brazil’s head coach. Ancelotti’s current contract at the Santiago Bernabeu runs until 2026 after signing an extension to his deal in December 2023. Ancelotti has already informed members of the dressing room of his intention to depart the club, people familiar with the matter told The Athletic.
Ancelotti may depart the team following the season’s last La Liga game against Real Sociedad due to recent underwhelming performances. In Saturday’s Copa del Rey match, the Los Blancos lost to Barcelona 3-2 in extra time, and Arsenal knocked them from the UCL quarterfinals. To be honest, the team has experienced a lot of tactical errors specially missing someone like Toni Kroos, who could control the tempo of the game in crunch situations.
Madrid’s defence of the championship they won by 10 points from Barcelona the previous season has also been hindered by injuries to several important first-team players, especially in the back. Last year, both centre-back Eder Militao and right-back Dani Carvajal had season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injuries.
Carlo Ancelotti to be Brazil’s New Coach?
When asked about his future at the club at the post-game news conference, Ancelotti quickly retorted that “his future was a topic for the next weeks, not today.” He added, “We’re still competing for trophies.” Also on April 19, Ancelotti said, “I don’t want to talk about my future. We’ll talk about it with the club at the end of the season.”
But at the Copa del Rey final, Diego Fernandes, a Brazilian businessman representing the Brazilian federation, was seen in the stadium. Fernandes’ trip to Europe is reportedly connected to Brazil’s interest in Ancelotti, and the Brazil Football Federation (CBF) hopes to convince the Italian manager to accept the Brazil position as soon as the Spanish domestic season concludes.
The Italian coach has for years sparked the interest of the CBF, which referred to him as “the president’s (Ednaldo Rodrigues) dream.” Next week, there will be more meetings, and if all goes as planned, Ancelotti may then sign a contract. According to reports, the agreement is not anticipated to last long—it will likely expire in less than four years. Ancelotti has been the front-runner to succeed Dorival Junior, who was fired following Brazil’s 4-1 loss to long-time rivals Argentina in Buenos Aires last month.
Jorge Jesus, the head coach of Al Hilal, is also on the CBF’s shortlist. The team hopes to appoint a new head coach before the June international break. In the South American World Cup qualifying standings, Brazil is ranked fourth. The CBF believes Ancelotti would offer Brazil the best opportunity to win the 48-team tournament, which will be staged jointly in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year. However, they are not in danger of not making it. The CBF had already attempted, but failed, to choose Ancelotti for the Copa America last summer.
Fernandes’ role has been diplomatic, according to people familiar with the agreement, as he tries to get Ancelotti an early release that would be interpreted as a sign of respect between the coach and Real president Florentino Perez rather than a breakdown in their working relationship.
What’s Next for Real Madrid?
There are not a lot of genuine options for Real Madrid to choose from. Reports suggest that the most likely short-term scenario would involve an interim manager to lead the team in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which begins on June 18. Potential candidates include director of football Santiago Solari, Castilla coach Raúl González, or under-19s coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
For the next season, Bayer Leverkusen manager and former Real Madrid midfielder, Xabi Alonso is touted to be the first choice option for Florentino Perez. Former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, who is currently the head of global soccer for the Red Bull group could also be a potential candidate to replace the Italian.
With three Champions League victories and two La Liga crowns during his two stints at the club, Ancelotti is among the most successful coaches in Madrid’s history. But his continued leadership has come under scrutiny due to recent results.
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