Ancelotti Backs Mourinho For Dramatic Real Madrid Return

Former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has backed Jose Mourinho for a stunning return to Real Madrid as the Spanish giants search for stability during a turbulent transition.

Mourinho, now in charge of Benfica, has been heavily linked with a second spell in Madrid. Ancelotti believes the Portuguese manager still has the pedigree and authority to thrive at the Bernabeu.

Speaking to The Athletic, the Italian, who currently manages the Brazil national team, said he would welcome the move. “To be back at Real Madrid, I will be really happy for him,” Ancelotti said. “He can do a fantastic job, as he always did in all the clubs that he was at.”

Concerns over dressing room discipline have shadowed Madrid in recent months, particularly after reports that Xabi Alonso found the squad “impossible to coach” during a short spell in charge. Ancelotti dismissed those claims emphatically.

“No, because it (makes it sound like) that players at Real Madrid do what they want. It’s not true. Absolutely bulls***. It is absolutely bulls***,” he said.

“Not true! The players… when I was there, I had an idea and tried to discuss this idea with the players, and I would see if they agreed or not. We even did this in the final of the Champions League. When I have an idea, the player has to be part of this idea. I don’t want to impose strategy. But that does not mean that we do not have a strategy.

“We had a strategy, and we had a strong strategy, because we won two Champions League trophies in four years, and the players were really focused to follow the strategy and follow the plan. The idea that Real Madrid doesn’t want to follow a strategy, it is not true.”

Reflecting on the pressures of Madrid, Ancelotti pointed to man-management as the key to success in the UEFA Champions League era.

“As usual, I tried to have a relationship with the person – not with the player – because what you are is a person. You are just a person that plays football. That is clear in my mind,” he explained.