Carlo Ancelotti handed fresh Brazil ultimatum after Real Madrid exit stalls | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti is described as being in "ongoing" talks with Brazil’s football federation (CBF), who have warned the Real Madrid manager they want a decision on his future by 20 May.

Ancelotti is expected to depart Madrid this month, having overseen a disappointing season by the club's almost impossible standards that has included early Champions League elimination and trailing rivals Barcelona in the closing stages of La Liga's title race.

The Italian won two rare La Liga and Champions League doubles in his first three seasons after returning to Madrid in 2021. But memories are infamously short and he was sacked once before, in 2015, one year and a day after delivering La Decima that had eluded the club for over a decade.

Madrid ideally want Xabi Alonso to be next permanent head coach, but are reported to be preparing for former boss Santiago Solari to cover the FIFA Club World Cup in the interim next month.

Ancelotti is widely tipped to become Brazil's new boss going into the 2026 World Cup, having been very publicly courted by the federation before signing his most recent Madrid contract in 2023, but negotiations broke down earlier this week and it looked as though things could collapse entirely.

AP quotes a source at the CBF stating: "It is clear there's no done deal with anyone for now."

Ancelotti would be leading Brazil into the 2026 World Cup / PATRICK T. FALLON/GettyImages

Brazil are hoping to officially name a new coach by 20 May, when the squad for the next set of World Cup qualifiers will be announced. But with Ancelotti under contract with Madrid and still no firm date for when the club would move to formally dismiss him, with the possibility that they don't at all given that Brazil's interest could even prompt compensation, makes things complicated.

It was thought that Ancelotti might lose his job after the recent Copa del Rey final against Barcelona, regardless of whether Madrid won – which they didn't. But that has come and gone. He could remain in place until La Liga ends, finishing on 25 May, but that is after Brazil's deadline.

There is a theory that defeat to Barcelona in a title race-defining Clasico on 11 May could prompt a slightly swifter departure before the campaign is fully over. Should Barca win that game, it would almost certainly guarantee the trophy returns to Catalonia. However, victory for Madrid would reduce the gap to virtually nothing and put enormous pressure on Barcelona instead.