Carlo Ancelotti, the coach’s future between Real Madrid and Brazil

In his many lives, practicing the art of movement, Carlo Ancelotti has also coached five of the current eight best teams in Europe. A “manita”. They are part of the group that will compete in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals in the next few days. Five is a lot,

Real Madrid, Bayern, Chelsea, Milan and Napoli represent the absolute majority. Carletto still directs one of these with some success, considering the step already taken towards yet another European semi-final. The other night over Chelsea was his 33rd win in 38 qualifying or final games in charge of Madrid. Enviable record. The latest successes were not so obvious. A couple of years ago, in Italy, there were those who considered it boiled.

RENEW YOURSELF

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But Ancelotti is capable of being reborn every time, like the tail of a lizard that someone is convinced, however, they have in hand to be able to categorize it definitively. In the first months of this year, the climate among the Blancos around him was a bit agitated. Xavi’s Barça was creating problems: they ran away in La Liga (now they’re at +13), they had imposed themselves 3-1 in the Spanish Super Cup and had won (1-0) the first leg semi-final of the Copa del Re. persistent rumors about the search for a replacement, and the names of Pochettino, Raul or Nagelsmann bounced around the Bernabeu. If up to a year ago – before winning the championship and the Champions League – he said that he would probably retire after this spell at Real, now Ancelotti is looking straight ahead. The long pressing of the Brazilian Football Federation to have him on the Seleçao bench pleased and stimulated him. Formal declarations, for now, have closed the door to that possibility. The coach reiterated his willingness to respect the contract that binds him to Real until 2024.

THE DOUBT REMAINS

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But the reality is a little different. It is true that in Madrid there was a reversal of course after the sensational success at the Camp Nou, 4-0 in the second leg of the cup with Barça. The criticisms for the insufficient valorisation of the young Tchouameni and Camavinga had to be extinguished in front of the capital performance of the old Modric and Kroos, and at the show of a reborn Benzema. Ancelotti has prepared the team to perform at the top at the decisive moment of the season and now Real are flying. But will it be enough to guarantee confirmation? Carletto must win, and the Copa del Rey – up for grabs on May 6 with Osasuna – may not be enough. The epilogue of 2014-15, the last of his first stage in Madrid, tells us something. Barça had won La Liga, the Champions League had escaped and the bench had jumped. Now the Champions League becomes the real crossroads. With Vinicius seen against Chelsea, Ancelotti can still reach the goal, despite the probable challenge with Guardiola. Carletto now lights up only when he says that class is not water, speaking of his dribbles – in a jacket, tie and black Oxford – displayed on the sidelines with the same enthusiasm he had at twenty, when Cesarone Maldini had thrown him in the Parma. For the rest he doesn’t move an eyebrow, he now seems as imperturbable as a holy man. A year ago Tite, then selector of Brazil, had called him to ask him for advice on how to get Vinicius to play. Ancelotti has highly valued his young jewel, it’s no mystery that he and the other Brazilians who have passed for Real are among the sponsors pushing to bring him to the Seleçao. Brazil has had several technicians of Italian origins, never a foreigner: with Feola and Scolari it was world champion, with Lazaroni and Tite it lost its way. Now there are no more big discussions about how the Seleçao should play, poised between football-art and European cynicism. He hasn’t been able to win for more than twenty years. Now everything is contaminated. Ancelotti can be a great synthesis. If he fails in his bid for the Champions League, the final is ready with a bang. An Italian at the helm of Brazil: unimaginable until some time ago. It would be a happy ending for Carletto and also a historic turning point for football, with a truly global impact.