Real Madrid set to end Carlo Ancelotti’s contract

Real Madrid are set to terminate the contract of manager Carlo Ancelotti and an official announcement from the club is expected next Tuesday, according to various reports.

Ancelotti has one year remaining on his current deal with Madrid.

The Italian boss assumed control of Madrid in June 2013 and led the team through the best calendar year in club history. In 2014, his players won the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

However, the second half of this season has seen the team knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Atletico Madrid, crash out of the Champions League at the hands of Juventus while being trumped by Barcelona to the La Liga title.

Real Madrid have been plagued by key injuries, poor form and player/fan unrest since the turn of the New Year and it appears Carlo Ancelotti is going to take the hit for the team’s collapse; even though some feel club president Florentino Perez should share the blame for the club’s failure.

Ancelotti will take charge of Madrid’s final home game of the season against Getafe on Saturday, but the club will announce a split from the manager next week.

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The thought around the club is that Ancelotti’s failure to rotate the squad led to many of the injury problems which plagued the team during the second half of the campaign.

Napoli coach Rafa Benitez is reportedly the favorite to take over on the Real Madrid bench next season, as club officials have targeted a manager they feel can better prepare their players, physically.

Madrid will reportedly open negotiations with Benitez next week with a view to luring the Napoli coach back to the Bernabeu.

Benitez, a Real Madrid fan, started his coaching career with the club’s youth team and served as Vicente del Bosque’s assistant with the first-team in 1994.

The 55-year-old tactician has also coached Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly being lined up for a return to AC Milan, where he achieved domestic and European success from 1987-1992.