Carlo Ancelotti sends clear message to Xabi Alonso

Tom Weber

Updated: 23 Sept 2024 20:39 BST
3 min read

Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid — © IMAGO

Carlo Ancelotti is hoping to stay at Real Madrid for 'many years.'

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It is still a surprise to many that the legendary Los Blancos boss remains in charge of Real Madrid. It looked for all the world as though Ancelotti would leave the club this year to take the reins of the Brazilian national team.

However, in a surprising turn of events, he extended his Real Madrid contract until 2026 and claimed LaLiga and Champions League honours last term.

But this has not stopped speculation surrounding the future of the club and the coach. In fact, it was recently claimed in German media that Real Madrid were positioning themselves to appoint former player Xabi Alonso next year.

To be able to hire the Bayer Leverkusen tactician, Ancelotti would first have to leave. However, according to the Italian himself, he has no intention of doing so.

Ancelotti's fighting words

Speaking to the media ahead of Real Madrid's LaLiga clash with Alaves, the 65-year-old insisted that the pressure of coaching arguably the biggest club in the world does not faze him and that he is keen to keep his job for many seasons to come.

“I don’t have an end date, nobody does," Ancelotti said. "As long as I enjoy doing this job, that’s all that matters. You can’t really compare my fatigue to that of the players. Mine is more mental, and honestly, I’m not feeling it at all.

"Sure, there’s pressure and responsibility, but I love it. The players, on the other hand, deal with physical exhaustion, which is the real issue. For now, there’s no expiration date for me. I’d love to stay here for many years.

“I’ve been lucky to coach some top teams, but personally, the biggest moments of my life were at Milan, where I played and coached, so it holds a special place in my heart, and at Real Madrid.

"Tomorrow [Tuesday], I’ll have the honour of reaching 300 matches at the best club in the world, no question about it. It’s special to be on this bench. To do it 300 times isn’t exactly a miracle, but it’s pretty close."