Real Madrid have not ruled out the possibility of retaining Carlo Ancelotti as their search for a new Coach goes on, according to Marca.
The Italian looked all-but-certain to leave Los Blancos in the wake of their Champions League semi-final defeat to Juventus earlier in May, despite leading the club to a much-vaunted La Decima, but the newspaper claims there could be a surprise plot twist.
President Florentino Perez and his aide Jose Angel Sanchez have spent the past the week mulling over Ancelotti’s future and considering replacements, namely Rafa Benitez and Jurgen Klopp, but neither trainer has convinced the pair yet.
Madrid’s number one concern reportedly lies with the team’s physical preparation after a campaign chequered by injuries, and there is a consensus that training sessions lack the intensity of those held by Ancelotti’s predecessor Jose Mourinho.
Regardless of whether he stays or goes, Ancelotti’s authority will be undermined either way as Madrid are set to dismiss two of his long-term collaborators in Giovanni Mauri and Villiam Vecchi, the latter of whom has been the 54-year-old’s goalkeeping coach since 1996.
The capital giants’ hierarchy are also believed to be unhappy with Lucas Silva’s absence from the first team in recent months, given Ancelotti’s insistence on having the Brazilian midfielder brought in and then using Sergio Ramos as a makeshift anchorman.
In addition, issues such as rotation and the tardiness of substitutions have hindered the former Milan and Chelsea man’s case to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, as well as his refusal to utilise Fabio Coentrao and expiring midfielder Sami Khedira more.
Former Castilla boss Benitez is expected to call time on his two-year spell with Napoli this summer, while Klopp will be on the market shortly after announcing his departure from Borussia Dortmund earlier in the campaign.
Marca adds that Nuno Santo, Unai Emery and Marcelino have all been offered to Madrid without success, along with former player Michel, while Zinedine Zidane’s poor performance in charge of the Castilla team this term means he too has been ruled out.
