OFFICIAL: Real Madrid confirm return of Carlo Ancelotti as head coach

Martin Macdonald

• 1 Jun 2021 18:06 BST
• 4 min read

Real Madrid have announced that Carlo Ancelotti will return as head coach, the Italian replacing Zinedine Zidane at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Los Blancos failed to win any silverware in the 2020/21 campaign and finished second in La Liga to city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Zidane departed the club in the days after, saying: “Now I have decided to leave and I want to explain the reasons why. I am leaving, but I am not jumping ship and I am not tired of coaching. 

#WelcomeBackAncelotti
@MrAncelotti pic.twitter.com/yY5NKF5tsd

— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) June 1, 2021

“In May 2018 I left because after two and a half years with so many victories and so many trophies I felt that the team needed a new discourse to stay at the top. Today things are different. 

“I’m leaving because I feel that the club no longer gives me the confidence I need, it doesn’t offer me the support to build something in the medium or long term.”

Read his entire letter here.

Several names had been linked as a potential replacement including Massimiliano Allegri, Raul and Joachim Low.

But Florentino Perez has moved quickly to appoint Ancelotti, who will leave his role as manager of Everton to return to the Spanish capital.

Ancelotti has signed a contract at Madrid until 2024.

Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid – again

Ancelotti still holds a good relationship with president Perez, and with candidates drying up for the job, especially with Allegri going back to Juventus, Madrid have again went back to what they know like the did previously with Zidane.

During his first stint at Real Madrid between 2013 and 2015, he guided the club to their holy grail of ‘La Decima’ which was their 10th European Cup.

The Italian remains one of the most respected coaches in Europe, though will have a rebuilding job on his hands with the likes of club idol Sergio Ramos set to leave this summer.

Everton new coach odds

It’s thought that Everton chiefs met just last week to talk about funds being made available to Ancelotti this summer, only for this surprise announcement to move ahead quickly.

Everton are once again now in transition, having quickly moved through Andre Silva, Sam Allardyce and Ancelotti in the space of two seasons.

Front runners for the post are Nuno Espirito Santo, who has been installed as the bookies favourite and who left Wolves just last month after a hugely successful spell at Molineux, while other names include Graham Potter of Brighton and Eddie Howe, who has been out of work since leaving Bournemouth at the end of last season.