Real Madrid News
Official: Real Madrid squad list to face Liverpool
Real Madrid will be locking horns with Liverpool in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.
Coming into the game with a healthy first-leg lead thanks to a 5-2 win at Anfield, Los Blancos have a foot through the doors to the quarter-finals.
However, Carlo Ancelotti & co. cannot afford to take Liverpool lightly, despite the fact that the Reds head into tomorrow’s contest on the back of a 1-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth.
Ahead of the game, manager Ancelotti has released the squad list that will be available for the match against Jurgen Klopp’s side tomorrow.
And the big news is that superstar striker and club captain Karim Benzema is back in the squad after missing the weekend clash against Espanyol due to an ankle problem.
Meanwhile, left-back Ferland Mendy also makes a return to the roster after over a month out on the sidelines due to injury.
However, David Alaba remains unavailable for selection for Ancelotti against Liverpool, with the Austrian still recovering from the injury he picked up at Anfield. Youngster Alvaro Rodriguez once again gets a call-up to the first-team roster.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados para el partido 🆚 @LFC!#UCL pic.twitter.com/kJVp3Zfrvf
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) March 14, 2023
Real Madrid News
Ancelotti could renew contract with Real Madrid if he wins the Champions League – report
The continuity of Carlo Ancelotti hinges on several factors and journalist Mario Cortegana, while writing for The Athletic, has confirmed that if Real Madrid do not sack him at the end of the season, the Italian will continue to serve the team at least until his current contract, which runs until 2024.
Furthermore, the report also states that Ancelotti could even be handed a contract extension if he leads the team to the UEFA Champions League triumph once again.
It is more than evident that Ancelotti’s Real Madrid future is far from certain. Ever since the managerial role at the Brazilian national team opened up, the 63-year-old is being pursued by the South American team.
Cortegana writes that even though Ancelotti is quite happy at Real Madrid, there remains a possibility that he will, indeed, accept the Brazil role if he were to leave the Spanish capital city as he sees this job as an appealing end to his managerial career.
At Real Madrid, he knows that he will have to keep winning trophies and this season, the La Liga honour is more or less lost. But with the possibility of winning the UEFA Champions League still open, Cortegana has reported that if the Italian does, in fact, succeed at winning the European crown, he might end up renewing his deal with the team.
At the moment, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is trying to keep a respectful distance, but there is absolutely no denying the fact that they have made him their absolute priority.
“Ancelotti is not only the players’ favourite but it seems the fans’ too,” said CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues about Ancelotti.
“Everywhere I go in Brazil, in every stadium, he is the first name the supporters ask me about. They talk about him in a very affectionate way, in recognition of the exemplary work he has done in his career,” he added.
Ancelotti is aware that Brazil want him and Brazil know Ancelotti is ready to join, but everything hinges on what happens with Real Madrid this season.
If they end up winning the Champions League or even if Madrid decided to stick with him until his contract expires [2024], Brazil will be forced to look for alternatives. If not, one can expect the Italian to be the new head coach of the Seleçao.
