Real Madrid News
Three managers Real Madrid are considering as replacements for Carlo Ancelotti – report
With Carlo Ancelotti’s contract with Real Madrid expiring in the summer of 2024, it has been suggested that the Italian will move on from the club and take over as the manager of the Brazilian national team.
The 64-year-old returned to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2021 and has won all possible trophies across the last two seasons. But their partnership is likely to come to an end next year, with a spot in the Selecao dugout waiting for him, as revealed by CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues.
Even though an official announcement is yet to be made, Real Madrid are already starting to work on their succession plan for Ancelotti.
And according to journalist Tomas Gonzalez-Martin on El Debate, three standout options have been identified as possible replacements for Ancelotti. And the three names are Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and Castilla’s Raul Gonzalez.
The links to Alonso are not new, with reports from Germany suggesting that he is the No. 1 candidate to take over from Ancelotti at the Bernabeu.
The former Los Blancos midfielder has knowledge of playing in England, Spain, and Germany and has accrued a lot of experience as a player, which he has translated into his managerial career, helping Leverkusen qualify for Europe after taking over when they were in the relegation zone.
Alonso appeals a lot to club president Florentino Perez, but at the same time, the Real Madrid supremo has not lost sight of Klopp, who has been on the club’s agenda for years. Indeed, the report states that the German has been admired by the Merengues ever since his Borussia Dortmund days and could be an option to succeed Ancelotti.
As for Raul, he is seen as an in-house solution, with the Real Madrid administration impressed with the job he has done at Castilla in recent years. The 46-year-old may have failed to lead Castilla to promotion to La Liga 2 last season, but he remains in contention to replace Ancelotti.
Apart from these three names, Real Madrid are also looking at Julian Nagelsmann, who left Bayern Munich earlier this year. Meanwhile, another former player, Alvaro Arbeloa, who has done a fine job with the club’s Juvenil A setup, is also seen as a candidate, although he is an outside choice at the moment.
Real Madrid kickstarted their UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-1 win over Inter Milan, one of Jose Mourinho’s former teams, and the very club with whom he once conquered Europe.
Interestingly, Real Madrid’s second Champions League game of the season will see them take on another of Mourinho’s old sides, in the form of AS Roma.
It will be imperative for Los Blancos to secure three points once again as they look to build momentum heading into a demanding run of fixtures, including the October 25 Clasico against Barcelona.
A special return for Mourinho
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Wednesday’s trip to the Stadio Olimpico carries a personal edge for the Portuguese, who called the ground home between 2021 and 2024.
It was on the Roma bench that he reached his 1,000th match as a coach, and he became the first manager to lead teams to the finals of the Champions League, the Europa League and the Conference League.
He delivered silverware, too, guiding Roma to the inaugural Conference League title in 2021/22 with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord.
The following season he took them to the Europa League final, where they lost on penalties to Sevilla, before his time in Rome ended in January 2024.
A litmus test for Los Blancos
Mourinho will not be the only one feeling the occasion. Dean Huijsen, on loan at Roma from Juventus in 2024, and Antonio Rudiger, a Roma player between 2015 and 2017, both return to a former home.
Beyond the sentiment, the fixture is a genuine test of Madrid’s credentials. Roma sit among the early pacesetters in Serie A and will provide stiff opposition, making this a useful marker of how far Mourinho’s rebuild has come.
With the Clasico and a congested schedule looming, three points in Rome would do far more than strengthen Madrid’s European standing.
Fortunately, Real Madrid will also have Vinicius Jr. available for this match, as his suspension, which could potentially see him miss the Barcelona game, only applies to domestic competitions.
