As the struggle for Carlo Ancelotti’s managerial services between Real Madrid and the Brazilian FA (CBF) continues, the Italian refuses to be drawn in and may not divulge his plans until the end of the season.
“I’ll give you another chance to ask another question,” an obviously irritated Ancelotti said to a reporter during his press conference on Tuesday ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League match against Napoli, when asked if he would stay at the club for another season. “I say it again, I am not talking about my future.”
Real are scrambling to retain the only manager to have won the title in all five of Europe’s major leagues, with his contract set to expire at the end of the current European season and CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues making confident noises about snatching the 64-year-old Italian.
A club official confirmed to Reuters that president Florentino Perez is considering extending his term, and a CBF director said they expect him to be in position for next year’s Copa America in the United States.
The CBF hopes to formally sign Ancelotti by mid-January, voiding a clause that would have allowed his Real contract to be extended for another year, and claims to have “legal safeguards” in place to protect their interests if the agreement falls through.
“The president (Ednaldo Rodrigues) would not have signed Fernando Diniz to a one-year contract in a caretaker position if he did not have a serious plan in place,” an official from the CBF told Reuters.
“Nothing has changed in the president’s position since his last media appearance.” Carlo Ancelotti is the plan, and we are quite comfortable and confident in our ability to make it happen.”
Rodrigues told Reuters in March that hiring Ancelotti would be a “no-brainer,” and he reiterated his belief in July, at the announcement of caretaker Diniz: “He (Ancelotti) will be here, you can be sure of that.”
Ancelotti, on the other hand, has persistently declined to participate in the debate. “I don’t think about it (my future),” he told me. “I am honoured that the Brazilian national team is interested in me, but I will not discuss my future until my contract expires.”
“In the end, it would be a six-month wait at most.” What is six months when faced with a life-altering decision?”
If Ancelotti leaves, Bayer Leverkusen manager and former Real Madrid footballer Xabi Alonso is considered to be the chosen replacement.