Carlo Ancelotti reportedly will be leaving Madrid after failing to secure any silverware this season, while Napoli’s Rafa Benitez is said to be the likely successor who will take the managerial position at Bernabeau.
The former PSG and Chelsea manager is linked with a move back to Italy for a position at AC Milan where he won the Champions League as a player and also as a manager. But there have been talks of him taking a sabbatical for a year.
After having failed to win anything this year which is unacceptable in Real Madrid it was expected that Ancelotti would likely see the door and according to reports, after taking charge of the the final game against Getafe on Saturday, he will be meeting with the club president Florentino Perez to discuss the termination of his contract.
Milan has been keeping close tabs on the situation and according to reports the General manager of Milan Adriano Galliani has been in contact with Ancelotti about a possible return to the club where he coached for 7 years and won everything major honor.
Milan President Silvio Berlusconi has reiterated his eagerness to make some big changes to the club in the summer after their miserable season which sees the club in their second season without European football. He wants to bring in new players and wishes to construct an all Italian team with one of the most successful Italian coaches at the helm, which is exactly where Ancelotti fits in.
Such speculations can be said to be quite believable when Ancelotti himself stated back in November that if he ever goes back to Italy then it will only be as the coach of Milan.
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Amid the Milan rumors, Barcelona has emerged shock contenders to snatch Ancelotti if Luis Enrique leaves at the end of the season. The Catalan manager is on course for a treble this season where he already won La Liga and is on course for the Champions League and and Copa Del Ray. But reportedly, serious conflicts have arisen between Enrique and the Barcelona board which can result in the manager leaving the club in the summer.
Regardless of anything, Benitez is on course to leave Napoli at the end of the season. After being eliminated from the Europa League in the semifinal stage, while in the league they still have to qualify for Champions League. According to some sources, there has been communication between both the parties and a deal might be close.
Benitez’s has an impressive CV where he won 2 Primera Divisions with Valencia and the UEFA Super Cup. His historic Champions League win with Liverpool in 2005 along with the UEFA Super Cup and the FA Cup, a Europa League with Chelsea and a Club World Cup with Inter Milan are also among his other accomplishments.
But, regardless of his CV, many football experts believe that Benitez will be a step backwards for the Spanish giants. Whether this is true or not is yet to be seen.