Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave the club and will take the Brazil head coach role.
Ancelotti, 65, was under contract at the Bernabeu until 2026 after signing an extension to his deal in December 2023 but training ground sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated he has already informed members of the dressing room of his intention to depart the club.
The expectation is for Ancelotti to complete the La Liga season and join Brazil in June, meaning he is not set to take charge of Madrid for this summer’s Club World Cup. The board will have to choose who will lead the team in the tournament between an interim coach, with director of football Santi Solari the best placed, or a new one, with Xabi Alonso in pole position.
More talks are expected with Madrid in the coming hours and days to sort the details of his departure.
Davide Ancelotti, Carlo’s son and assistant coach, has decided to start his career as a head coach in his own right, and will only join his father in Brazil if he does not receive a desirable offer from elsewhere.
The Athletic reported on April 19 that Ancelotti was expected to leave Madrid, with the Brazil national team his preferred and most likely next destination. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), have a long-standing interest in the Italian coach and described him as “the president’s (Ednaldo Rodrigues) dream.”
Further meetings are scheduled for next week and, if all goes according to plan, Ancelotti could then sign a contract. The deal is not expected to be long-term and sources indicated it will be less than four years.
The Athletic reported an emissary from the CBF, Diego Fernandes, was in attendance at Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final defeat against Arsenal on April 16, with the intention of meeting with Ancelotti that week, though this was denied by the organisation.
Fernandes, a reputed Brazilian businessman who was also at La Cartuja for the Copa del Rey final, has led the negotiations while maintaining the necessary balance of respect with Real Madrid and Ancelotti.
The CBF, who also have Al Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus on their shortlist, want to hire new head coach before the next international break in June.
Madrid will now conduct a coaching search; talks between people representing Bayer Leverkusen’s Alonso and Madrid have happened this season and it is possible that the former Madrid player takes charge at the Bernabeu in the summer.
Ancelotti has faced scrutiny throughout the season, with Madrid trailing rivals Barcelona by four points in the La Liga title race and having suffered a comprehensive 5-1 aggregate defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals. They were beaten 3-2 in extra time by Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday and also lost the Supercopa de Espana final to Hansi Flick’s side.
In January, Ancelotti said his “departure date” from Madrid “is never going to be decided by me in my life”, and suggested that he and Florentino Perez would leave together in 2029 at the end of the club president’s current term.
He has regularly been asked about his future throughout the season and has frequently said in recent weeks that it would be the team’s decision.
“It can happen, if the club decides to change,” the Italian said after the 2-1 second leg defeat against Arsenal. “There is no problem at all: the day I finish here, I can only do one thing, thank the club. If my contract ends or not, I don’t care.”
After coaching the team from 2013 to 2015, Ancelotti returned to Bernabeu in June 2021 to replace Zinedine Zidane. Across his two spells at the club, he won two La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues.
He became the first and only manager to win the Champions League on five different occasions when he led his side to a 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in last year’s final.
Injuries to a host of key first-team players has also hampered Madrid’s defence of the title they won by 10 points from Barcelona last season, particularly at the back. Right back Dani Carvajal and centre-back Eder Militao both suffered season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injuries last year.
Madrid return to action against Celta Vigo on Sunday.
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