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Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, has a reputation for giving coaches time only if trophies follow. When titles don’t come, the mood in the Bernabéu shifts, and the relationship with the head coach can quickly sour. The pattern is familiar: success brings praise, but a string of disappointments can cool the enthusiasm and push for change.
Carlo Ancelotti experienced this firsthand in 2015. He arrived in Lisbon to steer a team to Champions League glory, yet the following spring his relationship with the club cooled. The flowers faded, and an abrupt decision ended his stay before a contract extension could be discussed in earnest.
The current wind at Real Madrid began to rise as Ancelotti himself sensed it. He held a contract through June 2024, but his track record showed that staying put hinges on continuing to win major trophies. With the season marching on, the club’s focus narrowed to domestic cups and the Champions League as the ultimate tests of form and leadership.
The mood grew louder around the Bernabéu as calls for decisive action intensified. Even after edging out rivals in the European Super Cup and capturing the Club World Cup, the impression persisted that the Italian coach was under pressure. Critics noted the roster’s uneven balance, with veterans and high-profile signings who were not always favored on match days. The club’s management faced questions about whether key players would renew their contracts or seek greener pastures elsewhere, especially when they found themselves sitting on the bench or pushed into sporadic playing time.
On the horizon loomed a possibility: a pivot toward new leadership. The idea of Ancelotti continuing to shape Real Madrid’s future was debated against the allure of other top jobs. In this context, talk began to pivot toward a broader horizon, including a potential move that would see Ancelotti consider opportunities beyond Madrid’s borders. The coach’s son, Davide Ancelotti, who has served as an assistant at Real Madrid, emerged as a figure who could one day lead another club. Davide, now 33, had been linked with head coaching roles and even a stint at Everton, but his loyalty to his father and the Madrid project kept him close for the moment as the battles for the European crown persisted.
Davide to Basel?
Under his father’s guidance, Davide Ancelotti began as a physical trainer at PSG and moved through Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and back to the Bernabéu as part of the coaching ensemble. Soon enough, talk of taking charge elsewhere grew louder. Though still under a contract through June 2024, the club faced the prospect that Davide might step into a head coaching role somewhere else to make his own mark in football management.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid explored options for the final year of Carlo Ancelotti’s current deal. The club weighed the possibility of securing domestic success and repeating European glory in Istanbul, with a long view toward sustaining a championship-winning culture. Conversations at the highest level reflected the tension between honoring past successes and building a fresh, durable framework for the future. The memory of previous leadership changes at the club lingered, reminding everyone that a manager’s fate can hinge as much on locker-room dynamics as on trophies on the shelf.
Historical echoes also colored the current discussions. The saga of Zinedine Zidane offered a parallel. Zidane’s three consecutive Champions League triumphs built a dynasty, yet Florentino Perez’s relationship with the French coach cooled at times, leading to departures that were as much about timing as about results. The moral: even the most celebrated unions can end when ambitions diverge or when trust frays in the dressing room.
possible elevens
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Araujo, Koundé, Marcos Alonso, Balde; Busquets, Kessié, Sergi Roberto, Gavi; Raphinha, Lewandowski.
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Nacho; Tchouameni, Camavinga, Modric; Fede Valverde, Vinícius Jr., Benzema.
Referee: Martinez Munuera.
Stadium: Camp Nou, 21:00, La1.