Football España x CNN: Carlo Ancelotti to Brazil – fallout, legacy and chances of success | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti took charge of his 350th game at the club on Sunday against Barcelona, with defeat ending their chances of the La Liga title, and finally confirming that his 353rd encounter on the bench would be his last at the Santiago Bernabeu. Football España Editor Ruairidh Barlow joined CNN World Sport to discuss the fallout from his exit.

Brazil announced that Ancelotti would be taking over the Selecao for the next year and the 2026 World Cup, with an option to extend that deal to the 2030 edition in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. The Brazilian side are desperate for success after a number of barren years in the World Cup, combined with Argentina’s triumphs in the Copa America and World Cup.

Ancelotti struggles to find the balance with Kylian Mbappe

Ancelotti’s exit was ultimately defined by his inability to find a balance in his Real Madrid side this season, with Kylian Mbappe’s entry into the starting XI for the retired Toni Kroos turning Los Blancos into a top-heavy team. While Mbappe found his form in the second half of the season, Ancelotti has never hit on the formula for success this season, with fragile defence and a midfield that has been unable to control games.

‘Two-headed blame game’ – Real Madrid got it wrong

While Ancelotti’s shortcomings have been evident this season, equally prominent has been the lack of tools at his disposal. Without Kroos, only Dani Ceballos has provided some of the necessary nous in midfield, but he has been plagued by injury and inconsistency. Meanwhile serious injuries to Eder Militao, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal, in addition to constant issues for Ferland Mendy, robbed Ancelotti of most of his Champions League-winning defence from last season.

Image via SNTV

Despite that being a clear issue, Los Blancos did not act in the summer after Alaba’s injuries, nor in the winter after Carvajal and Militao went down. At the same time, Ancelotti refusal to drop one of his star-studded frontline until recent weeks has been a major question mark over the side.

What can Ancelotti bring to Brazil?

In his first ever international job, Ancelotti will be thrown into another of football’s pressure cookers. The Italian manager is the first ever foreign coach for Brazil, but does have history with a number of the players, and an ability to handle that pressure with serenity. On top of that, Ancelotti’s track record in knockout football is amongst the very best, and he has talent for getting the best out of sides with plenty of attacking talent.