Carlo Ancelotti: I want to stay at Real Madrid for FOUR more years

Carlo Ancelotti has emphatically dismissed reports claiming he has decided to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.

On Monday, shock news surfaced from Spain which asserted that the Los Blancos boss had decided to call it quits in the summer. Real Madrid have endured a largely disappointing campaign, although they now find themselves at the top of LaLiga due to Barcelona’s recent results crisis.

The Italian coaching legend is still under contract at Real Madrid until 2026, but speculation surrounding his future has been rampant for over a year. Initially, it was expected that Ancelotti would take over the Brazilian national team last summer, but he instead penned a surprise extension at with Los Blancos.

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Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso has been earmarked as the ideal successor to Ancelotti and there is an expectation that he will become available in the summer after deciding to snub Bayern Munich and Liverpool last year in favour of one more season with the Werkself.

However, speaking ahead of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with RB Salzburg, Ancelotti has now issued a defiant message regarding his future.

Ancelotti plays down exit talk

Quizzed about the resignation rumours, Ancelotti said: “No, no. I want to be very clear: the date of departure from this club is never going to be decided by me, never in my life. Someday that time will come, but I don’t know when it will be. It’s not for me to decide.

“It could be tomorrow, in a few games, a year, five years. Florentino [Perez] will be here for four more years and my goal is to reach Florentino’s four years. And that way we can say goodbye together,” he joked.

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“I feel very much loved in all aspects: fans, club, media. Everything. Sometimes it’s a bit exaggerated, but as I said the other day, I want to be quite objective. That’s all. I want to continue in my line.”