Experience gives Carlo Ancelotti an extra measure of composure, and his has always been legendary. Irritation manifests itself in the Italian in a way that has long been considered an integral part of his physiognomy: he arches an eyebrow prominently. And he lets them relax again when he hears something amusing. For example last week, when Real Madrid, who he coached, stopped by FC Barcelona – and left a small field of rubble behind. Real won 4-0 and made it into the Spanish Cup final.
Ancelotti, 63, was asked if he felt he had shown it to everyone again. He replied: “After 1272 games as a coach, I have nothing to prove to anyone.”
You can probably leave it like that. Ancelotti is the only coach to have won the top five European leagues: he did so in Italy in 2004 scudetto with AC Milan, in England he won with Chelsea in 2010, in France he won the title with Paris Saint-Germain in 2013, in Germany he led FC Bayern to the inevitable Bundesliga crown in 2017, in Spain he became champion with Real in 2022. That the laurels there are withered because Madrid lost 3-2 to Villarreal on Saturday with a B-Elf (including without Toni Kroos)? And if so! Real’s full concentration is currently on the quarter-final duels with Chelsea (first leg: Wednesday, 9 p.m.) – and the fight for a possible, unprecedented fifth Champions League title for coach Ancelotti.
He has lifted the pot four times – twice with Milan, twice with Real Madrid, most recently last year at the final in Paris-St. Denis. Ancelotti has lost a Champions League final only once, in an absurd way: in 2005 with Milan, after a 3-0 half-time lead against Liverpool, who, among other things, called up the former Ancelotti student and current Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso. The drama back then took place at this year’s final venue, Istanbul. So a little personal revenge on the Bosporus, against whatever opponent, that’s about it… And then? addition?
Ancelotti was also asked whether he would like to show it to anyone because his future has been increasingly talked about in Madrid for months. His contract, which has been in effect since July 2021, does not expire until summer 2024. But it was considered an open secret in Madrid months ago that club boss Florentino Pérez and Ancelotti fell in love – as they did at the end of the Italian’s first term in Madrid. And that Pérez is therefore exulting in the face of the rumors coming from the other side of the Atlantic. They state that Ancelotti could become the new Brazil coach and that Real Madrid could still rake in a fee.
The previous incumbent, Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, known as Tite, left after the World Cup in Qatar. The experiment with the U20 coach Ramón Menezes, which Brazil’s association entered into without inner conviction, came to an end after just 90 minutes at the end of March – after a 1-2 friendly defeat in Morocco.
“At the end of my time at Real Madrid I will probably retire,” Ancelotti said a year ago
The speculation about an obligation by Ancelotti is so substantial that a prognosis on its own is shaky. “At the end of my time at Real, I’ll probably retire,” Ancelotti said a year ago. Everything sounds different now: “Brazil want me and that’s something that excites me,” said Ancelotti, “but there is a contract that I want to fulfill. I will continue as long as Real Madrid allow me.” Which doesn’t mean that he would close the doors. He doesn’t know the head of the Brazilian association, said Ancelotti recently. But he would like to meet him.
The interest is newsworthy simply because it proves that a Brazilian dogma is shaking like never before. Hitherto it has been considered blasphemy in the country of the five-time world champions to bring in a foreign coach. Now the lobbying of former Real pros like Ronaldo seems to be happening fenômeno or Roberto Carlos, especially since it is accompanied by a chorus of more or less current Ancelotti disciples like Vinícius Jr., Casemiro, Rodrygo and Militão, who want to make the Italian a modern-day Garibaldi, a hero of two worlds. “Ancelotti is not only the players’ favourite, but also the fans’ favourites,” said Ednaldo Rodrigues, head of the Brazilian association CBF, on the sidelines of the Club World Cup in February, which Ancelotti naturally won with Real.
Which in turn leads to the question of who could inherit Ancelotti in Madrid. There, maximum attention is paid to how well former Real pro Xabi Alonso is doing in Leverkusen. Alonso is considered a close friend of Madrid’s U19 coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who is being hyped in the press close to Real – a solution with Alonso as boss and Arbeloa as assistant is conceivable. Another candidate is Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, who is also traded in England. The same applies to the former Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann, who aroused the interest of Real scouts years ago.
But one thing is clear to all of them: they will only become candidates if Ancelotti really should leave. On Monday, Ancelotti cleared up a rumor on Italian radio station RAI – that his assistant and son Davide, who is just acquiring a professional coaching license in Wales, could become head coach of FC Basel in the summer. That’s not an issue, said Ancelotti, “he feels comfortable here – and we want to continue here”. As long as you let them.