Carlo Ancelotti is set to leave his role as Real Madrid head coach following the Copa del Rey final on April 26, according to Sky Sports. The news comes in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s heavy Champions League quarter-final defeat to Arsenal, who beat them 5-1 on aggregate.
Ancelotti had hinted at uncertainty over his future after Wednesday’s loss, saying:
“It could be this year, next year when my contract ends. There’s no problem. But whenever I leave, I’ll be grateful to this club—whether that’s tomorrow, in a year, or in 10 years.”
Despite success in recent seasons, the Italian admitted that this year has been tough:
“We’ve had to suffer. Things haven’t gone as expected, but that’s football. No team is unbeatable.”
Ancelotti is expected to lead Madrid through their remaining La Liga matches—against Athletic Bilbao and Getafe—before taking charge one last time in the Copa del Rey final against rivals Barcelona in Seville. Barça currently sit four points clear of Madrid in the La Liga standings.
The Brazilian national team is reportedly preparing to accelerate talks to appoint Ancelotti as their next head coach. The veteran manager has previously led top clubs including Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton.