Last night, Carlo Ancelotti was honoured with the Manager of the Year Award at the AS Sports Award ceremony. The Real Madrid boss has enjoyed a stunning year during which he led the team to Spanish Super Cup, La Liga and UEFA Champions League success, along with the UEFA Super Cup.

Since returning to the club last year, Ancelotti has built a top side with a good blend of youth and experience and the Merengues are once again in contention to win a whole host of trophies in the ongoing campaign.

However, while Ancelotti is enjoying a steady run at the helm of affairs, recent reports have linked him with the Brazil national team job. Following their quarter-final exit from the FIFA World Cup, Tite stepped down as manager, with the Real Madrid boss now being targeted.

But, as Ancelotti had confirmed recently in an interview, he has no desire of leaving Real Madrid anytime soon. The Italian tactician reiterated his wish to continue at the Santiago Bernabeu, stating that if it were up to him, he would never leave the club.

When asked how long he plans to stay at Real Madrid, Ancelotti said (h/t AS): “I don’t know, as long as possible. I’m very happy, I want to stay.”

Talking about his approach with the players, the Italian said: “I have my character, I am not going to change that, I have always had it. And it seems to work for me.”

The former AC Milan and Chelsea boss also opened up on Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph last season and added that the team were looking to add another European Cup to their cabinet soon.

“I like normality, which is not exactly the Champions League last year, which was incredible, unexpected. But we got it. And we are already looking at going for another one,” he said.

Further reiterating his happiness at Real Madrid, Ancelotti said: “I feel very good at Madrid, really. The coach’s job is like that, you never know when you’re going to stop. But if it’s for me, I would never leave Madrid.”

However, he did not rule out the possibility of coaching a national team later in his career, saying: “It may be that at the end of my career I think about a national team, but I like to have a relationship with the players every day.”

Talking about the expectations and objectives for the season at Real Madrid, he added: “The Champions League is the most important and beloved competition, for all the teams. There are other very important ones, like Copa del Rey too, we won it in 2014.

“We are very excited. We will fight for everything, it is complicated, but we must try. Winning is not easy, but trying to compete is our duty, especially at Real Madrid.”

Thibaut Courtois won the AS Award for Best Goalkeeper of the Year, but was unable to attend the ceremony. Ancelotti collected the award on behalf of the Belgian international and took the chance to heap praise on his No. 1, saying:

“Thibaut had a fantastic season. Football is not that complicated: if you have a goalkeeper who saves and a striker who scores, everything is easier.”