REAL MADRID
Real Madrid has plans in mind for Carlo Ancelotti
With lots of talk about taking over the Brazilian national team, or another high profile European club, Los Blancos make their feelings known.
As the end of the calendar year edges closer, the future of Carlo Ancelotti’s appears to be much more aligned to his current role at Real Madrid than a move to the Brazil national team or anywhere else. Despite efforts by the Brazilian Football Confederation to publicise a supposed agreement with the Italian coach to take over with the Seleção from June 2024, we at AS can confirm that such a deal does not exist. Ancelotti has been very clear with them. While he is flattered by the proposal from the five-time World Cup champions, his response has been decisive.
“Madrid is my priority, and if the club offers me a renewal, I will continue here next season,” he said. In fact, about a month and a half ago, Ancelotti stated in a press conference that he was willing to wait for Madrid “until the last minute.”
Madrid wants more Ancelotti time
The fact that Fernando Diniz, the current interim coach of Brazil along with club Fluminense, is not achieving satisfactory results with the national team has created urgency in securing a deal with Ancelotti. However, Ancelotti has discussed this with his wife and children (Davide is his closest assistant) and made it clear that he remains very happy at Madrid. If there is any possibility of renewing his contract with the Santiago Bernabéu club, he will sign without hesitation. It’s not a question of money (Carlo will sign with the same contract he currently has), but rather a matter of feeling supported by the club, something he perceives daily from both Florentino Pérez and José Ángel Sánchez, as well as in the locker room.
And let’s not forget the importance of the fans, who adore him after having won all possible titles in his second tenure (Champions League, LaLiga, Copa del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Spanish Super Cup).
Ancelotti dealing with challenges
This season, despite facing a barrage of significant absences (playing in Vitoria recently without their regular goalkeeper and defenders), Los Blancos have been weathering the storm. They closed the Champions League group stage with a clean sweep of victories, a feat not achieved since 2015 when Ancelotti was also at the helm. The team also finished the pre-Christmas period at the top of LaLiga, battling neck and neck with the surprisingly strong Girona, managed by Míchel, and leaving Barcelona and Atlético Madrid some distance behind.
In 24 official matches (18 in LaLiga and six in the Champions League), Madrid has lost only once, in the derby at the Metropolitano. Despite injuries in their defensive absences, they are the least scored-against team in the league, with figures not seen in decades.
Madrid-Ancelotti: a key date on the horizon
For this reason, and others, the decision-makers at Madrid are delighted with their Italian coach and plan to meet with him after the return from the Spanish Super Cup, which will be held again in Saudi Arabia in January. On 10 January they will face Atlético in the semi-finals, and four days later, they could potentially play a final against Xavi’s Barcelona (who play Osasuna in the other semi-final on 11 January), with the first official title of the season at stake (others in their sights being the Champions League, LaLiga, and the Copa del Rey).
The club does not want any drama surrounding the coaching position until the end of the season in May. Therefore, if things continue as they are, there could be a ‘white smoke’ moment in January, potentially sealing Ancelotti’s renewal until 30 June 2025. Carletto certainly seems to be closer to the Bernabéu than Brazil.