Ancelotti: “On the 26th I’ll be Brazil’s coach, but right now I’m Real Madrid’s coach”
Carlo Ancelotti appeared before the media in the press room at Ciudad Real Madrid after the training session ahead of the match against Mallorca.
The coach said: “I expect a tough match, like the recent ones. We want to put out a competitive team to give our all, which means winning the three remaining matches. The league isn’t over yet, and we don’t want to just hand it over to our rivals. We want to finish these last three games well and end a season that has been difficult on a high note.”
“Starting on the 26th, I’ll be Brazil’s coach and it’s an important challenge, but for now, I’m Real Madrid’s coach and I want to finish this final stretch well and end this fantastic adventure in the right way. I’m focused on the days I have left here, and out of great respect for this club, this fanbase, and these players, I’m fully committed to this final phase of an incredible journey.”
His departure
“From the 26th on, I’ll be Brazil’s coach. It’s official. Brazil released a statement yesterday. Real Madrid will release theirs whenever they want. There’s no problem at all. They’ll do it when the timing is right for the club, and there’s nothing more to add, just like the Brazilian federation released theirs yesterday. What I discuss with the club is completely personal. The facts are what matter. I’m Real Madrid’s coach until the 25th, and yesterday I realized that I’ll stop being this team’s coach after that.”
“Football, like life, is made up of adventures that start and end. When I arrived, I was always aware that one day it would be over. That day is the 25th. It has been a wonderful period where we’ve all had a great time, but everything in life ends. Life ends—so of course a period at a football club does too. I’ve had a good time, and my professionalism demands that I finish well. It has been an important period. I’ve never had a problem with the club, and I never will. It’s a club I’ll carry in my heart. This adventure had to end someday. We’ve had a great time and won many titles. It’s a fantastic memory that will stay with me for life.”
The Brazil announcement
“Everyone acts as they believe is best. I know what the next two weeks will be like, and they’ll be focused on preparing for tomorrow’s game, Sunday’s match, and then Real Sociedad. Starting on the 26th, I’ll have a new task and I’ll think about that then. I understand everything, I respect all opinions, and that’s it. These are football matters, like press conferences that you have to endure—but I’m not sad.”
How does he feel about the end of this ‘honeymoon’ with Real Madrid?
“I’m not leaving with frustration. If you had told me on the day I arrived that I’d win 11 titles in four years, I’d have signed it in blood. The overall evaluation of this period is unforgettable, despite the last year. I’m very happy, although today would be a fantastic day if it weren’t for the press conference and having to explain things I don’t want to talk about. I wear the Real Madrid shirt, I respect it deeply, and I want to honor it until the very last day, which is why I don’t want to be asked about anything else. I wanted to win La Liga and the Champions League, but I’m happy with everything that’s happened around me.”
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“I’ve never been disrespectful to the players and I regret nothing. I’ve had a fantastic time here, and I want to enjoy the days I have left. I’ve gotten the most out of this team and the titles speak for themselves. I’ve never felt unwanted by Real Madrid. The club has always shown me love and always will. That’s life. I couldn’t be Real Madrid’s coach forever.”
Thanks
“Things come to an end because sometimes a club needs a new impulse, and there’s no need to dramatize it. I want to thank this club a thousand times. We’re each going our separate ways, and with all the love in the world, I will always be a Real Madrid fan. A spectacular period is ending, and I never thought I’d coach Real Madrid for six seasons. It happened, and I have to thank the club for that.”
Has his message run its course at Real Madrid?
“Maybe it was time for a change, and that’s all. I take all of this naturally. It was a mutual decision to end it here.”
The Bernabéu
“We’ve had a great time, and not everything has gone perfectly, but there have been wonderful nights of unforgettable comebacks. I won’t forget them, and I imagine the fans won’t either.”
Rodrygo
“He had a fever last week that prevented him from returning to top form. Today he had some discomfort in his thigh—I’m not sure which leg—and we need to evaluate it. He’s not at his best right now, and there’s been a lot of speculation. Everyone has a special affection for Rodrygo, especially me. When a player isn’t well, emotionally he isn’t well either. He wants to help the team with his quality and he’s disappointed that he can’t. Injured players can’t help the team.”
Xabi Alonso
“I care about him a lot, and I don’t have any advice to give him because he already has all the tools to be a great coach in the future.”