Soccer-Ancelotti stays calm over future amid Real Madrid turmoil


FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Quarter Final - First Leg - Arsenal v Real Madrid - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - April 8, 2025 Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/File Photo

(Reuters) -Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has urged patience over questions about his future, insisting everything will be resolved at the end of the season as he looks to steady the team following their heavy Champions League defeat at Arsenal.

After Real's 3-0 loss in the quarter-final first leg on Tuesday, Ancelotti’s position as head coach is once again in the spotlight, with the Italian enduring heavy criticism for his side's disappointing performance.

The Italian's contract at Real runs through to the end of next season.

"I shouldn’t talk about things about my future, because the contract is quite clear. Whatever it is, it will be talked about at the end of the season," Ancelotti told reporters on Saturday.

"The club always supports me, especially in difficult moments."

With a three-goal deficit to overturn at home on Wednesday, Ancelotti believes his side can mount a comeback.

"Every defeat is always the same. When you lose, it’s a difficult time. You have to think about how to bounce back. Concentrate. But, fortunately, football is like that... after a defeat, there comes an opportunity," he said.

"We’ll try, we’ll try. The truth is that Real Madrid is the only one that has done it many times. We will try until the last minute. Until the last action. Starting tomorrow."

He admitted Arsenal were the better team at Emirates Stadium.

"Against Arsenal we did less in all aspects, total distance, sprint numbers... everything," he said. "They worked harder."

Real, sitting second in LaLiga on 63 points four behind leaders Barcelona with eight games remaining, will be desperate for victory at lowly Alaves on Sunday.

"Everyone is thinking about Wednesday, but everything depends on tomorrow’s performance. Because we are still in the fight for the league. We need to play well and win," Ancelotti said. "It’s fundamental to recover the good feelings."

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)

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