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Madrid have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who played for Los Blancos, and former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Carlo Ancelotti (AFP Photo)
Following a humbling exit from the UEFA Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti accepted defeat, on and off the field, stating he will make his peace with whatever Real Madrid decides on regarding his fate as the head coach of Los Blancos.
A lacklustre showing from the 15-time UCL champions yesterday cursed them to a disappointing 2-1 home defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu, thereby allowing Arsenal to progress to the semi-finals of the tournament on an aggregate of 5-1.
Their exit from the Champions League marked their 12th defeat of the season — compared to just two across the whole of the previous campaign — and highlighted their stark fall from grace.
Ancelotti realised the same all too well, adding he was all too aware that his time with Real Madrid could come to an end anytime.
“It could be that the club decides to change (coach), it could be this year — or the next, when my contract expires. There’s no problem,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“The day that I leave here, I can only thank the club.
“It could be tomorrow, in 10 days, in a month or a year, but all I can do will be to thank the club — if my contract’s up or not, I don’t care.”
Madrid have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who played for Los Blancos, and former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Alonso has proven his coaching chops at Leverkusen, leading them to an unbeaten season in the Bundesliga last year, while nabbing the domestic double.
Klopp, the revolutionary genius behind Liverpool’s resurgence in the past decade, poached 8 trophies of his own during his decade-long tenure at Anfield.
Ancelotti — who has won 10 titles as Real boss, including two Champions Leagues — didn’t downplay Arsenal’s brilliance, lauding them for their superior play.
“There are no excuses. In the two games, they were better than us,” stated Ancelotti.
“The team (Real Madrid) gave everything in terms of attitude, but we weren’t able to do it,” he added.
“There are two sides to football: the happy side that we have experienced for several years, and now it is our turn to experience the sad side.”
Real Madrid technically remain in the hunt for La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Club World Cup this summer. But the road to success in any of the same might seem long and winding for the currently downtrodden Galacticos.