"Absolutely bulls***" — that's Carlo Ancelotti's verdict on the idea that Real Madrid players don't need coaching. In a wide-ranging interview with The Athletic, the Brazil head coach didn't hold back on what makes the Bernabeu job so uniquely difficult, and inadvertently reminded everyone why Madrid were so wrong to let him go.
Ancelotti won three Champions Leagues and two La Liga titles across two spells at Madrid. His replacement, Xabi Alonso, failed. Alvaro Arbeloa's caretaker reign has been a mess. Jose Mourinho is reportedly being lined up for a return. And yet here's Ancelotti, calmly explaining the blueprint while managing an entirely different superpower.
What Ancelotti actually did differently
His philosophy is disarmingly simple: manage people, not players. "I tried to have a relationship with the person — not with the player — because what you are is a person. You are just a person who plays football."
That sounds like a platitude until you map it onto Real Madrid's dressing room, which has historically eaten coaches alive. The ability to handle elite egos — Ronaldo, Benzema, Bale, Vinicius, Bellingham — without the whole thing combusting requires a specific kind of authority. Ancelotti had it. His squads liked him. That's rarer than it sounds at a club where the stars have always outweighed the system.
He's also clear-eyed about what's gone wrong since his departure. "Madrid has lost really important players: Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema, Nacho. The atmosphere in the squad comes from these players, who have more character, personality and leadership. Madrid needs time to rebuild this environment. It's not only a problem of technical quality." That's a diagnosis, not an excuse. And it tells you Madrid's struggles this season run deeper than tactics or personnel — they've lost their dressing room culture, and that takes years to rebuild.
Whether Mourinho can fill that void is a serious question. The Portuguese thrives on siege mentality and short-term galvanising, not the long-game trust-building Madrid actually need right now. The odds on his tenure lasting beyond 18 months should probably reflect that.
Carrick gets the Manchester United job
Across the city — or rather, across European football entirely — Manchester United's executive team are set to recommend Michael Carrick for the head coach role on a permanent basis. His caretaker stint and Champions League qualification were enough to convince the hierarchy.
It's a low-risk appointment framed as continuity. Whether Carrick can sustain that momentum across a full season, with a squad that still has significant structural issues, is the real test. The betting market on United's top-four finish next season is about to get very interesting.
Ronaldo's title dream nearly dies in stoppage time
Al Nassr were 90 seconds away from wrapping up the Saudi Pro League title. Leading the table, 1-0 up against second-placed Al Hilal, a Mohamed Simakan volley had them coasting. Then goalkeeper Bento collected a long throw-in that his own defender Inigo Martinez was about to head clear, flapped at it, and put it in his own net. In the 98th minute. With 12 seconds left to play.
Ronaldo's expression on the bench reportedly said everything. He still needs one win from their final match against Damac to clinch it, so the title is likely his. But after years of Saudi Pro League near-misses, this one is not going gently.
