- Carlo Ancelotti has come under pressure after Real Madrid’s poor form
- Xabi Alonso is seen as Real’s top target to succeed the legendary Italian boss
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Real Madrid reportedly expect Xabi Alonso to take over as manager next summer, giving Carlo Ancelotti a role in the club’s hierarchy.
It’s been a tough week for the Spanish giants, who suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Barcelona last weekend, leaving them six points behind their arch-rivals in LaLiga.
Vinicius Jr. then missed out on the Ballon d’Or on Monday, sparking a furious reaction at the Bernabeu, with the club deciding to snub the awards ceremony and make their feelings known.
The mixed start to the season – which comes after the club won LaLiga, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup in 2023/24 – has put pressure on Ancelotti.
And according to the Spanish outlet RelevoAccording to figures from the Bernabeu, Alonso, a former Real star between 2009 and 2014, will become manager next summer.
Real Madrid would offer Carlo Ancelotti an ambassadorial role upon his departure
Ancelotti has come under pressure after Real’s difficult start to the 2024/25 season
Xabi Alonso is Real’s No.1 target and he is expected to take over next summer
The report claims that the various factions within the club all agree that the Bayer Leverkusen boss is the man to take the club forward.
This would resonate with Leverkusen, who expect Alonso to leave at the end of the current season after turning down the jobs at Liverpool and Bayern Munich earlier this year.
However, Real are in no rush to part with Ancelotti, who has won 14 trophies with the club during two separate spells in charge – and do not expect the Italian to leave mid-season.
Ancelotti is seen as part of the club and the report adds that Real president Florentino Perez is expected to offer the 65-year-old a job upstairs after his term ends.
It has not been confirmed what type of position this might be, although the report claims it is likely an ambassadorial role.
In his two spells in charge, Ancelotti – who has also coached AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich – has won 220 of his 306 games.
Real president Florentino Perez is keen to keep Ancelotti aside as his coaching reign comes to an end
The Italian has had two spells in charge of the Spanish giants and has won a total of 14 trophies
Meanwhile, Alonso bided his time in management by managing Real Sociedad’s B team for three years before making the move to Leverkusen in 2022.
In a stunning first full season in 2023/24, he led the club to the Bundesliga title, ending Bayern’s monopoly of 11 consecutive domestic victories.
During this period, Alonso oversaw a remarkable 49-match unbeaten run, while Leverkusen also won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final.