Carlo Ancelotti has been under pressure in 2023, after Real Madrid fan watched Barcelona stroll to the La Liga title – or within two points of it.
The Italian won a Champions League and La Liga double last season, but that appears to have counted for little this campaign. That speculation was heightened by reports linking Ancelotti to the vacant Brazil job. He has maintained he wants to remain in Madrid, recently rubbishing reports that he had been in talks with Brazil.
Late-night radio discussion had eased in recent weeks after Los Blancos dispatched Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg and progressed to the Champions League semi-finals.
Yet just three days before the Copa del Rey final against Osasuna, more rumours have surfaced about potential replacements for the Italian.
Diario AS‘ Manu Sainz has outlined that Real Madrid could go back to old wells, with Zinedine Zidane, Jose Mourinho and Raul Gonzalez linked to the position.
The Real Madrid Castilla manager was also noted as a potential successor by Cadena SER, who also name Alvaro Arbeloa, Mauricio Pochettino and Xabi Alonso, the latter of which is gaining traction across Europe for his stellar work with Bayer Leverkusen. Journalist Anton Mean also remarked that he felt that there is a significant chance that Ancelotti leaves in the summer.
Ancelotti can perhaps take heart from the fact there is little consensus on the names in the frame, which perhaps suggests that there is less basis to them. Even so, the timing of such discussions may raise his very famous eyebrow.
They should thank him and let him go to Brazil. RM needs fresh blood in the coach position. He doesn’t have any more tactical creativity. He, along with Florentino, should also take blame for such a global team to not have the much needed depth that teams like Man City has.