Real Madrid ‘will offer Carlo Ancelotti an ambassadorial role’ after his managerial reign ends – with Xabi Alonso ‘expected to replace’ the under-fire Italian next summer

Real Madrid reportedly expect Xabi Alonso to take over as manager next summer in a move that will see Carlo Ancelotti handed a role in the club’s hierarchy.

It has been a difficult week for the Spanish giants, who suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat against Barcelona last weekend, leaving them six points behind their arch-rivals in LaLiga.

Vinicius Jr then missed out on the Ballon d’Or on Monday, leading to a furious reaction at the Bernabeu, with the club deciding to snub the awards ceremony and let their feelings be known. 

The mixed start to the campaign – which comes after the club won LaLiga, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and Spanish Super Cup in 2023-24 – has put pressure on Ancelotti.

And, according to Spanish outlet Relevo, figures at the Bernabeu believe that Alonso, a former Real star between 2009 and 2014, will become manager next summer.

Ancelotti has come under pressure after Real’s difficult start to the 2024-25 campaign

Xabi Alonso is Real’s No 1 target and there is an expectation that he will take over next summer

The report claims that the differing factions at the club have all agreed that the Bayer Leverkusen boss is the man to take the club forward. 

This is said to be echoed at Leverkusen, who expect Alonso to leave at the end of the current campaign after he turned down the Liverpool and Bayern Munich jobs earlier this year.

However, Real are in no rush to dispense with Ancelotti, who has won 14 trophies with the club during two separate spells in charge – and do not expect the Italian to leave mid-season.

Ancelotti is viewed as part of the fabric of the club and the report goes onto add that it is expected Real president Florentino Perez will offer the 65-year-old a position upstairs after his tenure ends.

It has not been confirmed what sort of position this could be, although the report claims that it is likely to be an ambassadorial role.

Across his two spells in charge, Ancelotti – who has also coached the likes of AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG and Bayern Munich – has won 220 of his 306 games.

Real president Florentino Perez is keen to keep Ancelotti around when his coaching reign ends

The Italian has had two spells in charge of the Spanish giants, winning 14 trophies in total

Meanwhile, Alonso bided his time in management by leading Real Sociedad’s B team for three years, before he made the move to Leverkusen in 2022.

In a stunning first full season in 2023-24 he guided the club to the Bundesliga title, ending Bayern’s monopoly of 11 consecutive domestic triumphs.

During this period, Alonso oversaw a remarkable 49-game unbeaten run, while Leverkusen also won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final.