The future of Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti hangs in the balance as he faces the daunting task of winning the UEFA Champions League.
As the snowballing pressure threatens to bury the tenure of Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, the Italian tactician must navigate a treacherous path to the ultimate goal of lifting the coveted UEFA Champions League trophy or risk being shown the exit door.
Ancelotti has won numerous trophies in his managerial career which has spanned over 25 years. The Italian tactician has done it at some of the biggest clubs in the world. And, he has managed some of the best players to have ever played the game.
While he has done wonders throughout his career, this time around, he is in desperate need of one. The 63-year-old has not had the best of seasons so far, and his job at Real Madrid is under scrutiny as per the reports in Spain.
Ancelotti has had a decent season when we look at the overall stats. The former AC Milan manager has led Real Madrid in 43 matches and has won 30 of those fixtures. He has only lost a total of seven games in the ongoing season. But, those numbers might not matter at the end of the day because Los Blancos always push for major titles.
The Italian manager guided them to a historic Champions League win last season. And, his contract at the club ends in the summer of 2024. However, Ancelotti could be shown the exit door early because Real Madrid are a club that demands success on a consistent basis. And, a trophyless season is not something that the board lets go of with that ease.
The Merengues have lost three El Clasicos since the turn of the calendar. Barcelona’s three-peat over Real Madrid is something that has not gone down well with the club’s management. And, their latest loss against the Catalan giants in a way meant curtains to their league title aspirations.
Real Madrid are 12 points behind league leaders Barcelona with only 12 matches to go. And, with both the home and away fixtures against Xavi’s team done and dusted, they do not really have a chance of catching up. They could still get lucky, but it is unlikely.
Can Ancelotti rescue his precarious position at the helm of Real Madrid?
The former AC Milan manager has won four Champions League titles over the course of his career. And if he can manage to make it five, he can surely save himself from the sack. But, it is not that easy to win the Champions League back-to-back. While Real Madrid have done it in the recent past, that team had some of the greatest players to ever wear the white of Madrid.
However, Carlo Ancelotti does not have that luxury. He does have a few senior experienced campaigners who can get the job done. But, they have not been that consistent in the ongoing season. And, injuries to key players in the backline have troubled him along with Karim Benzema’s inconsistency of late.
Moreover, the road to Real Madrid’s 15th UCL title is not that easy. They will square up against Chelsea in the quarter-finals. While the Blues are going through struggles of their own, they can still hurt you on their day.
The London club will also have a major boost ahead of this fixture as N’Golo Kante could make a return from injury. The French defensive midfielder is one of their best players. But, he has been sidelined for the majority of the season with injuries. And, his return will surely give them more power as they will look to go past the team in white.
Even if they end up winning this tie against the Blues, things won’t get easier as they will face either Bayern Munich or Manchester City in the semi-finals. Both clubs are among the favourites in the ongoing season and have been in red-hot form. As a result, winning the Champions League looks like a huge task for Ancelotti.
While lifting the European title will guarantee him his position at the club, he can even survive by winning the Copa de Rey. But, it is already an uphill task given the fact that Real Madrid have lost the first leg against Barcelona recently. Los Blancos will have to come from a goal behind to win at Camp Nou to progress to the final.
The Catalan giants have already won thrice against Real Madrid since the start of 2023. As a result, things do not really look that good for Carlo Ancelotti and his men. Having said that, Los Blancos are not a team that can be counted out of any competition they are still alive in.
The Italian tactician is well capable and can surely pull off stunners. This Real Madrid team did it for the 63-year-old last season, and they can do it again. However, this time around, it will be interesting to see if they can deliver a triumphant turnaround.
