Carlo Ancelotti delivers fresh Real Madrid future update as Brazil look elsewhere | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti insists now is not the time to talk about his future at Real Madrid, which continues to be scrutinised.

The Italian's Santiago Bernabeu tenure has been hugely successful for the most part, culminating in a La Liga and Champions League double last season – the latter a record-extending 15th triumph for Real Madrid in European club football's top tier competition.

But Madrid's 2024/25 campaign, despite the arrival of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer, has been distinctly up and down. They have lost 11 times across all competitions, including five of their 13 Champions League games, most recently getting hammered 3-0 by Arsenal in the first leg of their quarter-final clash.

Rivals Barcelona also hold a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga heading into Madrid's clash with Alaves, with their performances under Hansi Flick generally of a far higher standard than what Ancelotti's charges have been able to offer up.

"I shouldn’t talk about things about my future, because the contract is quite clear," Ancelotti bullishly told reporters ahead of the game. "Whatever it is, it will be discussed at the end of the season. The club always supports me, especially in difficult moments."

Ancelotti has long been linked with the Brazil national team job, with the speculation ramping up a notch recently after the firing of previous head coach Dorival Junior. However, Spanish publication SPORT state that their eyes are now on Al Hilal manager Jorge Jesus, leaving Ancelotti out in the cold regardless of whether he ends up staying in Madrid.

Xabi Alonso has been touted as a potential successor to Ancelotti, having led Bayer Leverkusen to a first-ever Bundesliga title last season, but there's nothing to suggest a return to the Santiago Bernabeu is imminent for the elegant former midfielder. Leverkusen's CEO Fernando Carro insists the Spaniard is "comfortable" in Germany.

If Ancelotti does end up leaving, he can at least take comfort from his incredible CV as a manager. The most successful Champions League manager of all-time, he has lifted the famous trophy on five occasions – three times with Madrid and twice with AC Milan – and has also won the Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A during stints with Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Milan, where he spent five years as a player between 1987 and 1992.