BEVERLY HILLS, June 02, (THEWILL) – Former La Liga champions, Real Madrid, have confirmed Carlo Ancelotti’s return to the Santiago Bernabeu as manager after previously holding the job from 2013 to 2015, as reported by THEWILL earlier.
In their confirmation on Tuesday, the club noted that they had reached an agreement to re-engage the 61-year-old, who had spent the past year at the English Premier League side Everton. As a result, Ancelotti terminated his contract with the English club with three years remaining on the contract.
THEWILL recalls that Ancelotti led Real Madrid previously to a UEFA Champions League title in 2014, when the Spanish giants celebrated La Decima, their 10th European Cup triumph. However, Ancelotti was fired in 2015 after his second season finished without the fanfare of silverware.
Ancelotti has a vast range of experience to call upon which was responsible for the decision to bring him back to the managerial slot at Los Blancos. His extensive career includes time at top European clubs Juventus, Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Napoli.
In terms of trophies he won two more Champions League titles at Milan, and his resume boasts first-place finishes in Serie A, the Premier League, Bundesliga and Ligue 1. On the con side, his recent season at Goodison Park was not similarly successful as the Toffees finished 10th in the EPL last season without making it to any European competition for next season.
With the managerial position in Madrid, however, Ancelotti is sure to play in Europe and will look for more success with Los Blancos where his predecessor Zinedine Zidane could not find and which ultimately led Zidane to quit the Madrid side.
One challenge Ancelotti will have to immediately address is the aging roster of the once brilliant squad which currently has plenty of question marks. Many of its key players from last season are now over 30 years old, including gems like striker Karim Benzema, injury-prone Sergio Ramos, and midfield generals Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.
Yet, a manager of Ancelotti’s reputation will understand this challenge ahead of arriving at Madrid and must know how best to confront it to live up to lofty expectations at the Spanish club, which he will have to meet again this time.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
