Manchester City may not even have to pay a compensation fee for managerial target Carlo Ancelotti, with the Italian coach seemingly on the brink at Real Madrid after a disappointing few weeks.
Real Madrid surrendered their league at the top of La Liga to Barcelona and almost went out of the Champions League as Schalke won 4-3 at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night, only to lose 5-4 on aggregate.
That result provoked a demonstration of sorts from the crowd, with white handkerchiefs being waved around – a sign of fans not feeling there is enough effort in the side.
Despite delivering the Champions League and Copa del Rey last term, the Real hierarchy are not happy with the progress and former club president Roman Calderon feels Ancelotti could be moved on in favour of German coach Joachim Low.
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“Ancelotti’s position is very difficult with handkerchiefs, protests at what they saw. Maybe he’s thinking of leaving, I don’t know,” Calderon told talkSport (via the Mirror).
“I wouldn’t say they are thinking of firing him, that would be very premature. I hope things can turn around. They are talking about (Joachim) Loew, the German national coach. I imagine they’ll decide that at end of season.”
Should the European champions decide to let Ancelotti go, City boss Manuel Pellegrini may find himself out of a job pretty swiftly as the current Premier League holders themselves plan wholesale changes.