PETE JENSON: Carlo Ancelotti may want Brazil job... but can Real Madrid really afford to let him go? PLUS, why mess around Lionel Messi is adding to the poison in Paris
- Carlo Ancelotti was approached for Brazil, but Real Madrid may not let him leave
- Rumours claim Jose Mourinho could take top job, with Alvaro Arbeloa as No 2
- And the mess around Lionel Messi's PSG future is adding to the problems there
Can you imagine Carlo Ancelotti finishing a managerial career that has seen him win the big-five leagues, and four Champions Leagues, by leading Brazil at a World Cup?
He has certainly imagined it. It has been on his mind ever since he was approached by Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of the country’s football association, the CBF.
The trouble for 63-year-old ‘Carletto’ at the moment is that he has a year left on his contract and if he keeps winning at Real Madrid they are not going to let him walk away for free.
After Wednesday night’s brilliant 4-0 win at the Camp Nou, Madrid can’t be seen to be pushing him towards the exit, even though both sides know however this campaign ends, it’s probably the time to part ways.
Madrid’s Brazilian forward Rodrygo Goes said after that win over Barcelona: ‘I would like to have Ancelotti with the Brazilian team,’ before diplomatically adding, ‘and I love having him at Madrid, too.’
![Carlo Ancelotti is strongly considering the possibility of switching Real Madrid for Brazil](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609307-11951021-image-a-160_1680906442931.jpg)
Carlo Ancelotti is strongly considering the possibility of switching Real Madrid for Brazil
![Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of Brazil’s football association, approached Ancelotti about it](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609323-11951021-image-a-161_1680906503945.jpg)
Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of Brazil’s football association, approached Ancelotti about it
Madrid have scored 10 goals in their last two games and Karim Benzema has six of them. There might be a blip tonight when they host Villarreal in the league. They are 12 points off the lead and what really matters now is Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg with Chelsea. But once again top form has been timed to perfection.
The huge win over Barcelona was bad news for Chelsea because it has reinforced that feeling of Madrid’s cup invincibility, although it could end up being better news for Manchester City because the Spanish Cup final comes just a few days before the first legs of the Champions League semi-finals.
There was talk of Ancelotti being subdued this week, because he’s been ‘saddened’ by Madrid starting to look for his replacement. It’s true that he has been frozen out of decisions about next season — his view that Luka Modric should be offered a new contract has so far been ignored.
But he didn’t look too down when he shouted to his players: ‘Tomorrow is a day off!’ in the dressing room video that went viral after beating Barca. He has all the players on side as they try to finish with a European and Spanish cup double. He’s under no pressure — it’s more about how it ends this June, not whether it will or not.
Ancelotti is a competitor from the silver hair on his head to the sole of his Italian leather shoes but he knows that if he doesn’t win the Champions League then it will just smooth his path to a South American swansong with Vinicius, Eder Militao and Rodrygo in his new team, and another of his former favourite ‘sons’ Kaka installed alongside him. If he does win the cup double, it will bring about an awkward ‘what do we do now?’ moment. The CBF don’t want to have to pay the last year of his contract. And Madrid will know it will look ridiculous to fire him.
Perhaps there will be a compromise to repay him for having won what will be 11 trophies in four seasons at the club.
![Real Madrid may be reluctant to let Ancelotti leave, but Brazil can't pay to acquire his services](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609327-11951021-image-a-162_1680906616635.jpg)
Real Madrid may be reluctant to let Ancelotti leave, but Brazil can't pay to acquire his services
MESSI MESS ADDS TO THE POISON IN PARIS
Paris Saint-Germain’s cushion at the top of Ligue 1 ought to survive the last nine games of the season but with second-placed Lens going into last night’s home game against Strasbourg on a run of three straight wins, and due to face PSG next weekend, there are no guarantees.
PSG, six points clear going in to this round of games, have lost their last two and there is something rancid in the air at the club where Lionel Messi is whistled by home supporters, Kylian Mbappe criticises PSG for using his image to promote season tickets without asking him and injured Neymar laughs into a camera after losing a million at Poker.
Messi wants to go back to Barcelona where his family were happy and never wanted to leave, and Barca are talking up the idea because it distracts from the refereeing corruption charges that could see them denied entry into next season’s Champions League and the problems they have had raising funds for their stadium rebuild.
But finding a way to lose ¤200million (£175m) off the wage bill, as La Liga’s financial fair play demands, and yet pay Messi the 10m (£8.7m) net a season he would want looks complicated.
![Lionel Messi reportedly wants out of PSG, but Barcelona's financial problems are a hindrance](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609485-11951021-image-a-163_1680906819204.jpg)
Lionel Messi reportedly wants out of PSG, but Barcelona's financial problems are a hindrance
Talk of elaborate plans to give the returning captain a percentage of future commercial deals seem fanciful and cost-cutting elsewhere will see about 120 redundancies this summer.
Stoked up by the excitable stories, however, Messi’s name was chanted on 10 minutes in midweek in the Cup semi-final.
All of which will do little to dissuade Paris Ultras to stop whistling him back in France, further souring the mood around the leaders and their fragile advantage at the top of Ligue 1.
TAKING ON CHELSEA JOB NOW A GAMBLE TOO FAR FOR ENRIQUE
‘Chelsea? I’ve been to Formentera, the beaches are great there,’ said Luis Enrique when he was ambushed by a camera crew coming back from talks in London this week.
At one point it looked as if he might be ready to risk taking over immediately and face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in only his second game in charge.
![It looked like Luis Enrique might be parachuted into Chelsea immediately, but it didn't happen](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609501-11951021-image-a-164_1680906886302.jpg)
It looked like Luis Enrique might be parachuted into Chelsea immediately, but it didn't happen
![However, Thomas Tuchel was thrown into Bayern Munich mid-season, and faces a tough test](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609585-11951021-image-a-165_1680906931226.jpg)
However, Thomas Tuchel was thrown into Bayern Munich mid-season, and faces a tough test
Being parachuted into the Allianz Arena mid-season is not quite the same but Thomas Tuchel has also gambled by taking over at Bayern with Manchester City the third opponent he will face.
In their German Cup defeat by Freiburg on Tuesday, they were every bit as bad as they were good last week in Tuchel’s debut against Borussia Dortmund.
He complained of a lack of drive and shared hunger in his players. Bayern meet Freiburg again in the league today and then it’s time for their reunion with Pep Guardiola. That’s when we will find out if City are too good a rival too soon for Tuchel’s Bayern.
ARBELOA LEAPFROGS RAUL
![Alvaro Arbeloa, coach of Real Madrid's under-18s, could become No 2 under Jose Mourinho](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/04/07/23/69609705-11951021-image-a-166_1680906993520.jpg)
Alvaro Arbeloa, coach of Real Madrid's under-18s, could become No 2 under Jose Mourinho
Real Madrid's Under 18s coach Alvaro Arbeloa has jumped ahead of the B-team manager Raul as a serious candidate for next season if Ancelotti does move on, but there’s a twist — one idea under consideration is to make him No 2 alongside a returning Jose Mourinho.
The plan was leaked to gauge reaction this week. Arbeloa was Mourinho’s most loyal player during his last stint in charge.
Such a move would split the club’s support down the middle, which doesn’t necessarily preclude it happening.
If he is overlooked, Raul will seek out a foreign challenge, and having previously been sounded out by Leeds, the Premier League could be his destination.
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