Real Madrid News
Carlo Ancelotti likely to end the season at Real Madrid; Solari poised to take over
The power dynamics within the Real Madrid rank has shifted dramatically following the club’s exit from the Champions League.
Carlo Ancelotti is now feeling the heat, with multiple reports suggesting that the Italian could be axed if Real Madrid lose to Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final.
Real Madrid have earmarked Xabi Alonso as a potential replacement. However, acquiring his services could take time and the club must plan accordingly.
Ancelotti may end the season at Real Madrid
Acccording to COPE, the likely scenario that could pan out at Real Madrid is Ancelotti continuing at Santiago Bernabeu until the end of the season.
This essentially means Ancelotti will be in charge until the La Liga season is over, after which Real Madrid might opt for a stand-in coach.
As per the report, Santiago Solari is poised to become the interim Real Madrid coach in the summer.
Solari, who has taken up the role of an interim coach of Real Madrid in the past, is likely to lead the team in the inaugural edition of the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.
This goes in line with reports that suggest Xabi Alonso might not be available until after the Club World Cup.
Therefore, Real Madrid might proceed with a multi-modal approach, keeping Solari as an interim coach while they try and close the agreement with Alonso.
The Spanish tactician is more than willing to rejoin his former club as a coach, but logistical reasons could potentially delay the onboarding process.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho reacts to Vinicius suspension: “Why announce it two hours before an important match?”
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has questioned the RFEF Disciplinary Committee’s decision to announce Vinicius Jr.’s four-match suspension just hours before their UEFA Champions League meeting with AS Roma on Wednesday.
The Brazilian has been hit with a four-match ban for his red card against Villarreal, meaning he will miss the matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia.
And, speaking to Movistar+ (h/t MARCA) before the match, the Real Madrid manager was asked whether the punishment could affect the Brazilian psychologically.
Mourinho instead turned his attention to the football authorities and the timing of their announcement.
“I think that is a question for the Committee. Why have they announced the suspension at this particular moment? If you are asking me this question, it is presumably because you think it could affect him,” the Portuguese coach replied.
“You should ask the Committee why they did not announce it this morning, or tomorrow morning. Why do they do it two hours before a match that is important for Real Madrid, which is a Spanish club?” he added, questioning the timing of the decision.
Mourinho explains his tactical approach against Roma
The Real Madrid manager also outlined his plan for facing a Roma side known for their aggressive pressing.
“My intention is to stop them from pressing us so high up the pitch, given the players we have available and as a precaution,” he said.
Continuing, the Portuguese manager added: “They press man-to-man higher up the pitch better than anyone else, and we will see whether we can take advantage of that. If not, they will have to drop their press five or ten metres.”
Why Rudiger over Huijsen
Mourinho also justified his decision to start Antonio Rudiger at centre-back alongside Ibrahima Konate rather than Dean Huijsen.
“They played very well together in the last match, Rudiger and Konate, showing great leadership and the ability to withstand a difficult situation when we had ten men for 30 minutes,” he said.
“I am not saying Dean is not capable of playing a match like this, but this is a wonderful atmosphere for Roma and a difficult one for us. I think a player with Antonio’s experience can be important,” Mourinho added.
Finally, Mourinho was asked about his emotions ahead of returning to face Roma, the club he managed between 2021 and 2024.
The Portuguese coach offered a brief response, saying that he had his feelings about the occasion “blocked”.
