Florentino Perez identifies coach to replace Carlo Ancelotti

Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, reportedly has a preferred manager to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the club. The La Liga giants could begin their search for a new manager in the coming months should Ancelotti leave his role at the end of the season.

Ancelotti’s future at Santiago Bernabeu is far from certain after an underwhelming season for Real Madrid so far, where they could end up with just two trophies following a disappointing domestic campaign.

The Italian manager, who previously won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2014 and 2022, could decide to leave the club on his own terms, having been linked with the Brazil national team job in recent weeks.

If Ancelotti does depart from Real Madrid, several names have been rumoured to take over the reins of the La Liga champions. One of the names linked is Xabi Alonso, a former Real Madrid midfielder who is currently managing Bayer Leverkusen.

According to a report by Sport, Perez has identified Alonso as his first choice to take over from Ancelotti. The report added that the Spanish midfielder could make a return to Madrid as a manager and take the next step in his managerial career by leading Real Madrid.

Alonso, who won the Champions League with Liverpool and Real Madrid during his playing career, is considered one of the brightest young coaches in European football. The 39-year-old, who was a fan favourite during his time at Real Madrid, is known for his tactical astuteness and man-management skills.

However, it remains to be seen whether Alonso would be interested in taking on the high-pressure role of managing Real Madrid, given his relative inexperience in top-level management.

Other names linked with the Real Madrid job include Massimiliano Allegri and Mauricio Pochettino, but Perez’s preference for Alonso could make him the frontrunner for the role if Carlo Ancelotti departs from the club at the end of the season.