Real Madrid News
Real Madrid see club legend as a possible candidate to replace Ancelotti – report
Of late, there has been some sort of uncertainty over the future of Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, especially after last weekend’s defeat to RCD Mallorca in La Liga.
It was reported that failure to win the FIFA Club World Cup could result in the Italian getting the sack. However, those claims have been dismissed, with Ancelotti getting until the end of the season to hold on to his job.
Even if he does stay, Ancelotti’s contract with Los Blancos expires next year and the club might have to start looking for a replacement sooner or later.
And, according to journalist Sergio Santos, Real Madrid see club legend and current Castilla manager Raul Gonzalez as a possible candidate to replace Ancelotti when the Italian moves on.
An icon at the Bernabeu, Raul made over 700 appearances for the club and went on to score 323 goals during that period. The former striker took over the reins of the Castilla team in 2019 and has since done a solid job at the helm of the subsidiary side.
Castilla have been doing particularly well this season and are pushing for promotion from the First RFEF Division.
When Zinedine Zidane stepped down as manager in 2021, Raul’s name was considered but the administration felt he was not ready for the job at the time.
However, that has seemingly changed now and the club officials believe that the 45-year-old is ready to coach the senior team.
So, Raul’s name will be on the table if and when Ancelotti’s time at the Santiago Bernabeu comes to an end.
The former Spanish international recently turned down overtures from Leeds United, who wanted him to replace Jesse Marsch. Clubs like Espanyol, Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke have also shown interest, but Raul has stayed put at Castilla.
The club have been impressed by the 45-year-old’s coaching skills and the development of some of the youngsters he has trained, such as Fran Garcia and Miguel Gutierrez, who are shining away from the club, while the likes of Sergio Arribas, Mario Martin, and Alvaro Rodriguez are getting minutes with the first team.
While he will not be the chosen one, Real Madrid will look at Raul as a serious candidate when the time comes for the club to name Ancelotti’s successor.
Before he was hired by Bayern Munich as the direct replacement for Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel was closely linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The German tactician had kept a close eye on the development at Santiago Bernabeu, especially with coach Carlo Ancelotti facing immense pressure following the club’s poor performances in domestic competitions.
A recent report from Jorge Picon has offered more details on the Tuchel saga, suggesting that the coach was even learning Spanish during his time at Ibiza, anticipating a potential move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
There were even contacts made between Tuchel’s entourage and Real Madrid. Although the talks were positive, the two sides were not able to reach an agreement.
Real Madrid did not guarantee him the job. They had informed Tuchel that Ancelotti may continue at the Bernabeu in the event the club win the UEFA Champions League this season.
This bit of uncertainty played a critical role in convincing Tuchel to join Bayern Munich instead. The former Chelsea boss was hired as a direct replacement for Nagelsmann, who was sacked after a poor season in the Bundesliga by the club’s high standards.
However, Tuchel’s move to Bayern appears to be a missed opportunity on the German’s part, as Real Madrid have recently intensified their search for a new manager.
It is clear that the club’s hierarchy is yet to reach a consensus over the future of Ancelotti, with some believing that a change is necessary come the end of the season. In fact, the club’s president Florentino Perez has been an admirer of Tuchel’s compatriot Nagelsmann.
The coaching prodigy is one of the candidates to replace Ancelotti in the summer, though it is Mauricio Pochettion who is reportedly leading the race so far.
