On the eve of Real Madrid’s La Liga clash against Mallorca, head coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media and offered high praise for his likely successor, Xabi Alonso.
Although the club has yet to make an official announcement, Ancelotti is widely expected to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season. The Italian coach has already been appointed as the next manager of Brazil’s national team, with reports in Spain indicating that he will officially step down from his role at the Santiago Bernabéu on May 25.
His successor is reportedly already lined up. Xabi Alonso, currently at the helm of Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, is set to take over and is expected to lead Real Madrid into the FIFA Club World Cup this June. Alonso has publicly confirmed he will leave Leverkusen at the end of the season.
Speaking at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference, Ancelotti had nothing but admiration for the former Real Madrid midfielder.
“Xabi Alonso doesn’t need any advice from me—he’s already an excellent coach,” said Ancelotti. “He has everything it takes to become a truly great manager.”