Real Madrid have Ancelotti's successor ready: It won't be Zidane

Carlo Ancelotti's second spell at Real Madrid may be coming to an end. The Italian coach has eight games (six in the league and two in the Champions League) to reverse the poor image the team left behind last month before Christmas. Otherwise, the board will fire him and his replacement would already be a done deal.

According to 'Relevo', Florentino Pérez confirmed Santiago Solari, director of football at the 'Casa Blanca' since the summer of 2022, as the chosen one to take charge of the 'merengue' bench on a temporary basis if, due to poor results, 'Carletto' does not reach the end of the year as Madrid coach.

Solari already managed the first team in 2018/19 after Julen Lopetegui's failure, but he was only in office for just over four months, leaving a balance of 22 wins, 2 draws and 8 losses in 32 games. That season, Madrid said goodbye to all titles in the first week of March, after three home defeats against FC Barcelona (0-3 in the Cup, 0-1 in the League) and Ajax (1-4 in the Champions League).

Madrid could opt for an interim manager after the visit to Anfield

Ancelotti's sentence could even be brought forward this week if Madrid adds another heavy defeat in their visit to Anfield (27 November). The Whites are coming off a home defeat against AC Milan (1-3) and a new defeat could seriously compromise their chances of directly qualifying for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

The 'reds', for their part, are in their best moment, as leaders of the Premier League and the top European competition. Before travelling to Liverpool, Madrid must visit Leganés. Afterwards, the League calendar holds the duels against Getafe (home), Athletic (away) and Girona (away), the latter before another very tough Champions League away game, against Atalanta.

Madrid will close the year against Sevilla at home (December 22), but before that they must visit Rayo and travel to Qatar for the Intercontinental Cup final. By then, perhaps 'Carletto', who has an offer to coach the Brazilian national team starting in the summer of 2025, may not be the coach of a Real Madrid that, in the League, can get within 4 points of FC Barcelona if they win this Sunday in Butarque.