Carlo Ancelotti dismisses Brazil interest and pledges to stay at Real Madrid

Carlo Ancelotti has sought to end any doubt about his immediate future by saying he will honour the last year of his contract with Real Madrid, amid interest from Brazil.

In March, the Brazilian FA (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues declared that Ancelotti would be an obvious choice to fill the vacant national managerial position if he was available at the end of the European season. After Madrid’s 4-0 defeat by Manchester City in their Champions League semi-final, speculation grew that his job was under threat, with the team also failing to land their domestic title as bitter rivals Barcelona clinched La Liga with four games to spare.

“Everyone knows really well what my situation is: I have contract until the end of the 2024 season and I want to stay,” Ancelotti told a news conference, clearly annoyed when asked about the Brazil interest yet again. When a reporter asked if the club had assured him that he was staying, Ancelotti replied with an emphatic: “Yes!”

Madrid, however, are yet to make an official statement about Ancelotti’s future. Their president Florentino Pérez gave a vague answer when asked about Ancelotti following Real’s 2-1 victory in the Copa del Rey final. Ancelotti experienced Pérez’s short temper when he was sacked in 2015, one year after guiding Madrid to their long-awaited 10th European Cup title.

“It could have been a better season, but it was a good one,” Ancelotti said when asked how he would assess the 2022-23 campaign. “Of course, we are not satisfied with La Liga, but we fought to the end in the other competitions … and won three of them.” Ancelotti was referring to the Copa del Rey, Club World Cup and the European Super Cup victories.

The Brazilian FA did not respond early on Saturday morning,