Reports suggested Carlo Ancelotti will leave regardless at the end of the season
However, Ancelotti has fired back and insisted his future does not lie in his hands
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By DANIEL DAVIS
Published: 08:05 EST, 8 March 2025 | Updated: 08:05 EST, 8 March 2025
Carlo Ancelotti has addressed his uncertain future at Real Madrid, insisting he will only leave if he is sacked despite the club's links to Xabi Alonso.
Alonso, currently the head coach at Bayer Leverkusen, has long been the clear favourite to replace Ancelotti and he could take charge as early as this summer despite the veteran Italian suggesting he has no plans to step away.
Both coaches are tied down to contracts running until mid-2026 and Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro said he expects Alonso to stay beyond the end of the campaign.
Earlier this week, Ancelotti was quizzed on rumours he could be dismissed and made it clear he would not be walking away from his post prematurely.
Speaking to PoretCast di Giacomo Poretti, he said: 'I don't know when.
'I don't decide. The only clear thing I know is that I don't decide when I will leave, the president will. It will happen sooner or later.'
Carlo Ancelotti has insisted he has no plans to walk away from Real Madrid in the summer
Xabi Alonso, head coach at Bayer Leverkusen, is the favourite to replace Ancelotti
Ancelotti said his future was solely in the hands of Madrid president Florentino Perez
In January, Ancelotti laughed off speculation he had decided to leave at the end of the season regardless of results and pointed to Florentino Perez's re-election.
'I want to be very clear: the departure date of this club is never going to be decided by me in my life,' he said. 'I have the advantage that Florentino will stay for four more years and I have the objective of reaching them with him.
'We can say goodbye together.'
Ancelotti signed a new deal as Madrid's head coach at the end of 2023, committing his future until 2026, and he appears to be in no hurry to take up a new challenge.
Indeed, the 65-year-old has led his side to no less than 10 trophies, including two Champions Leagues, since returning for a second spell in charge in 2021. He is also the head coach with the most trophies (15) in the club's illustrious history.
But Alonso is waiting in the wings, having won Leverkusen's first Bundesliga title last year, as well as the German Cup and German Super Cup. He also took them to the Europa League final, where they suffered their only defeat of the season.
As reported by Mail Sport, Alonso has been joined by Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola on Madrid's shortlist should Ancelotti leave this summer.
Contingenty plans in the event of Ancelotti's departure have been drawn up, it is understood, and Iraola, represented by the same agency as Alonso, is firmly on their radar.
Madrid are third in LaLiga and lead fierce rivals Atletico 2-1 in their Champions League last-16 tie, but face a tricky return leg at the Metropolitano next Wednesday.