At this stage of the season, Carlo Ancelotti is going through his worst moment as coach of Real Madrid. He is being questioned intensely and his future is increasingly up in the air, knowing that the titles, mainly in the Champions League, are in danger and his continuity as coach of the Whites depended on them.
A management with black spots
So far this season, with more than 50 games behind him, one of the reasons he has been questioned the most has been the lack of rotation he has carried out throughout the season, giving minutes to some players who, over time, ended up in the infirmary, complicating the creation of a competitive starting eleven.
The lack of opportunities for some players and his stubbornness in selecting certain players has ended up costing the Whites dearly. There are players who have demonstrated their potential, such as Endrick, who didn’t have a single minute in London yesterday. Not to mention Carlo Ancelotti’s stubbornness in playing Vinicius, Mbappé, Rodrygo and Bellingham in a system that doesn’t favour any of them.
A series of decisions throughout the season and an inability to react in many matches condemn Ancelotti to failure and, barring a miracle, the Italian’s future is far from Real Madrid. His departure has been talked about for months and with LaLiga more than complicated, the Champions League needing a magical night and the Copa del Rey final against a very difficult Barça, it’s a done deal.
Xabi Alonso, the main candidate
For months, Real Madrid’s target if Carlo Ancelotti left has been Xabi Alonso, coach of Bayer Leverkusen. The style proposed by the man from San Sebastián seems made for the Whites, with a vertical and attacking game without renouncing touch, similar to the way he played when he was a player.
Paco González, director of the sports program Tiempo de Juego on the COPE radio network, has been one of those who has brought up the name of Xabi Alonso in the aftermath of Madrid’s debacle against Arsenal. “There are people who say that Xabi Alonso is already signed, I don’t know, but there are some who take it for granted, and besides, he hasn’t confirmed that he’s going to stay at Leverkusen next year,” he said.
Real Madrid have been in contact with the Basque coach and have let him know that they are counting on him in case Ancelotti does not stay at the club next season. In fact, according to recent reports, the Whites are willing to pay for him. Real Madrid are willing to pay up to 6 million euros to Bayer Leverkusen as compensation in order to sign Xabi Alonso if necessary.
He would be the favorite on a list that includes names such as Iraola, now at Bournemouth; Jurgen Klopp or even José Mourinho, who has considered returning to the Santiago Bernabéu.
One Italian for another: Conte for Ancelotti
In the last few hours a new name has been added to the list of possible candidates for the Whites’ bench. It would be a change from an Italian like Carlo Ancelotti to another one who would be Antonio Conte. Antonio Conte is a coach with a proven track record of success at clubs like Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.
This season he is managing Napoli, but his contract includes a clause that would allow him to leave if he receives an offer from a club like Real Madrid. The Italian coach was already close to joining Real Madrid in 2018 after the departure of Julen Lopetegui. However, negotiations fell through due to concerns about his strong character.