Former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that losing to Arsenal was the final straw in his Los Blancos reign
Carlo Ancelotti has finally revealed the moment he knew his time at Real Madrid was up, after which he started packing his bags.
With no trophies this season and growing calls for change, the veteran coach says it became obvious that his chapter in Madrid had reached its end.
The defeat that sealed Carlo Ancelotti’s fate
For a club as demanding and historic as Real Madrid, one bad result can shift the entire landscape, and for Carlo Ancelotti, it was the Champions League quarter-final loss to Arsenal that served as the tipping point.
While many fans speculated about his future for weeks, Ancelotti admitted it was during the post-match discussions following that tie when he and the club leadership finally reached a mutual understanding that it was time to move on.
According to Ancelotti, “Results were not what we expected and the team’s play wasn’t great either. It was time to do something.”
The Italian manager made it clear that there were no internal disputes, no dramatic fallouts. It was simply a matter of performance, or the lack of it.
As Barcelona celebrated a stunning domestic treble and reclaimed the La Liga title, Real Madrid, trophyless and clearly out of rhythm, needed to hit the reset button.
Ancelotti ready for new challenge with Brazil
Following his departure from Real Madrid, the 65-year-old has now taken the reins of the Brazil national team, becoming the first non-Brazilian to lead the Seleção on a permanent basis.
Ancelotti now has the task of guiding the five-time world champions back to glory at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
His replacement at Madrid has already been announced, with Xabi Alonso, a familiar face and club legend, signing a three-year deal.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti begins his Brazilian journey almost immediately, with World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay lined up for early June.