Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti reportedly set to leave at season’s end, eyes move to Brazil national team​on April 19, 2025 at 9:30 pm

Carlo Ancelotti’s era at Real Madrid could be coming to an end — again. It has been a trying week for Real Madrid after getting knocked out of the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal and also falling further behind Barcelona in the La Liga race, but while they can still win a trophy in the Copa del Rey final where they’ll face Barcelona or win La Liga, Ancelotti is expected to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, according to The Athletic.

Already linked to the open Brazil job, it doesn’t come as a major surprise that Ancelotti’s departure from Real Madrid is gaining steam despite him being less than a year removed from winning the Champions League with Los Blancos. At 65, Ancelotti’s return to Real Madrid in 2021 was a time to steady and eventually push the club forward, and he has done that.

Now, as Madrid enter an era where they need to get the best out of Kylian Mbappe and find balance as a squad, it’s a good chance to see if another manager can oversee the next period of Madrid dominance. While Ancelotti is under contract through 2026, he could depart this summer, which also fits Brazil’s timeframe.

With just over a year remaining until the 2026 World Cup, Brazil can’t afford to enter the June international break, where they’ll face Ecuador and Paraguay, without a permanent manager. The Seleção have plenty of things that need to be ironed out as they look to qualify for the World Cup, but that’s also what makes timing tricky here.

Real Madrid are slated to take part in the Club World Cup in the United States starting June 15, so a decision may need to be made before that if Ancelotti’s next role is with Brazil. A successful manager with five Champions League crowns, Ancelotti will have no shortage of options, but it does seem like the door at Madrid is closing. Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso is likely one of the top candidates to replace Ancelotti if changes are made, per The Athletic. 

While this season hasn’t been as strong as last, when Leverkusen won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal, Alonso was able to lead the German side in the Champions League, gaining more experience in a competition that is quite important to Real Madrid. Nothing can truly prepare a manager for the expectations at Madrid, but that’s also where having a tournament like the Club World Cup to adjust during the offseason could be critical if Madrid does make a switch.