Real Madrid's plan for Ancelotti: his departure, replacement and key dates
Real Madrid are having a strange season. Looking at the results, no one should find fault with a team that is still in contention for the league title, could win the cup and has reached the Champions League quarter-finals after knocking out Manchester City and Atlético Madrid. But the reality is very different and the club's board is already drawing up a roadmap to make the change of coach more palatable.
The arrival of Mbappé has not improved the team; in fact, it is the departure of Kroos that has left the midfield bereft of football. Modric's 39 years have not been enough, and the Ceballos solution has come too late. Nor has Ancelotti been able to integrate young players such as Güler, Endrick and Brahim, whom he has given minutes almost out of obligation, as has been the case with Asencio, who would return to the bench if Militao recovered in time for the Club World Cup.
That mentality is what has set off alarm bells at Real Madrid. They already knew what the Italian was like because of his behaviour in his first spell, but with almost 80 games a year, they thought that rotations would come and there would be more time for future stars. Ancelotti also thought that signings would come beyond Mbappé. The injuries to Militao and Carvajal left no other option, but the board did not want to sign defenders and the team has suffered too many defeats in a season in which the five goals conceded against Arsenal in the Champions League have accelerated everything.
The big problem is the Club World Cup. A year ago, it was a hindrance for the club, as Ancelotti said in an interview in Italy where he said they would not play it, and now it has become the second most important title of the season with a total commitment to win it. There is €100 million at stake and the prestige of being the first club to lift this trophy in case it becomes an important tournament in the future.
The trip to the United States and the dates, from 14 June to 13 July, make it impossible for a natural replacement to take over the bench, with holidays in between and time to disconnect, which has forced Real Madrid to set the last day of the league (25 May) as the time to make changes. As they will not be playing in the Champions League final, the club has decided that the Club World Cup will be contested by the next coach and that those days will be used to bid farewell to Carlo Ancelotti and thank him for his services during his two spells at the club.
For his part, Ancelotti has the perfect opportunity to finally accept the persistent offer from the Brazilian national team and turn the five-time world champions into a decent side that can compete for the World Cup to be held in 2026 in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It would be the most important challenge in the Italian coach's career and the crowning glory of his successful career. In addition, his closeness to players such as Vinicius, Rodrygo and Militao makes him even more valuable on the bench of the ‘canarinha’.
Davide Ancelotti was in the running to replace Carletto. One Ancelotti for another. A guy who not only knows the squad, but also makes important tactical and technical decisions; everyone remembers his advice to take Joselu off in that semi-final against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, which couldn't have gone better.
Surprises have been a feature of the Real Madrid bench for years. Everyone was surprised by Zidane's departure, but even more so by Ancelotti's return, so it would not be surprising to see the Italian's son take over, although Xabi Alonso is not out of the picture. Florentino Pérez is not one to sign coaches for their technical quality because he knows that the Real Madrid squad is managed in a different way. Lopetegui and Benítez did not work out, and Alonso has a similar style, but he is a man of the club, with the perfect profile to be the calm spokesperson for the club in turbulent times off the pitch, with constant disputes with LaLiga, the RFEF, referees and UEFA. Fernando Carro, CEO of Leverkusen, was in Madrid at Easter and assured that ‘he has no release clause, but we have a gentleman's agreement. If a team he played for comes in, we will sit down and talk and we will not put any obstacles in the way’, which makes it clear that there will be no impediments from Germany to a change on the bench as long as they are given time to choose Xabi Alonso's replacement.
The milestones of Real Madrid's new era are marked by an uncomfortable path. What happens in La Liga and in the Cup final may not be significant. A double would be the perfect farewell for Ancelotti, and losing both competitions would not be a disaster given the inconsistent season. Where Real Madrid cannot afford to slip up is in the choice of new coach, because the role is crucial at the most successful club in Europe.
