Could Madrid’s clandestine coach scouting mean Ancelotti is heading to Brazil next season?
The possibility of Brazil acquiring Carlo Ancelotti as their national team’s coach took another turn with reports in Madrid claiming that the club’s top brass is in the marketing assessing a potential replacement for the Italian. The names of Xabi Alonso, who won the title with Bayer Leverkusen is considered the top candidate while former Barcelona man Cesc Fabregas, who is managing Serie B side Como, too is being assessed as a back-up.
Defensa Central, the Spanish media giants, carried a report on their website that Fabregas was in the Spanish capital and visited the club. Since the sacking of Dorival Junior after Brazil’s 4-1 surrender to fierce rivals Argentina, rumours have intensified that Ancelotti would replace him at the end of the season with Madrid. He was asked about the possibility before Real Madrid’s league game against Leganes last weekend. And replied with a shrug of his head and a firm “No.”
He also rejected claims that club legend Ronaldo (R9) had been involved in talks between himself and the Brazilian federation: “I don’t remember talking about that with him. I’ve discussed many things with Ronaldo, but that I don’t remember,” he said, according to Football Espana.
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“The contract is clear, I have nothing to add to this. I have great affection for the Brazilian national team, their players and their fans, but I have a contract with Madrid. The contract is clear,” he added.
Last January, he had expressed his desire to leave with club president Florentino Perez, whose tenure ends in 2029. “I have the advantage that Florentino will stay for four more years and I have the objective of reaching them with him. We can say goode together,” he said.
While his contract ends only at the end of 2026, and he could end up with a treble this season, there are speculations that he would be tempted to join the Selecaos as their first overseas coach in sixty years. The Brazil’s football federation (CBF), the Athletic asserts, would desperately pursue his signature. Twice, Ancelotti had snubbed them, but this time the most successful manager in Europe “has a more open perspective”. The departure of his son and assant coach, Davide, at the end of the season, too would be a factor.
Add to that the tax storm that is brewing. He will appear in court on Wednesday to stand trial on charges of defrauding Spain’s tax office of £836,857 in undeclared earnings from image rights in 2014 and 2015.
