Carlo Ancelotti has held talks with intermediaries over becoming the new Brazil coach if his second stint at Real Madrid comes to an end.
Ancelotti’s future at the Bernabeu is in doubt following Real’s 5-1 aggregate defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso is favourite to return to Madrid in the summer and replace Ancelotti, who has won three of his five Champions League titles with the Spanish club.
The 65-year-old is being strongly linked with the Brazil job after Dorival Junior was sacked in the wake of his country’s 4-1 humiliation at the hands of rivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying last month.
Diego Fernandes, an influential figure in the sports industry, has been a regular visitor to the Bernabeu in recent weeks and is said to have held talks with Ancelotti and his camp.
Although Fernandes has no official links to the Brazil FA, his presence in Madrid is said to be ‘discreet and highly strategic’ with a view to persuading Ancelotti to take the first national team job in a glittering coaching career at Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton.
Carlo Ancelotti may become the next Brazil manager if his stint in Madrid comes to an end
The Italian’s future at the Bernabeu is in doubt after their Champions League exit to Arsenal
It has been reported that the Italian could leave Madrid as early as April 26 after the Copa del Rey final. Brazil are keen to install a new coach before the next international window in June rather than waiting until August.
Ancelotti is under contract until 2026, but asked about his future in the wake of the Arsenal defeat, he said: ‘I can’t speak about this right now. It could be that the club decide to change coach. It could be this year or the next when my contract expires, there’s no problem.
‘It could be tomorrow, in 10 days, in a month or a year, but all I can do will be to thank the club. If my contract’s up or not, I don’t care.’
