El-Clasico: Ancelotti confident of defeating Barcelona

Real Madrid’s most decorated manager, Carlo Ancelotti, faces a crucial battle against Barcelona to reignite his chances of winning La Liga. 

The Italian has one final shot to end his career at Real Madrid on a high before, reportedly, taking charge of the Brazil national team.

Carlo Ancelotti, who has sealed his name in Real Madrid’s history books after winning trophies left and right, has the chance to gift his beloved Los Blancos glory once more before, presumably, leaving to take over the Brazil national team in time for the Club World Cup in the summer.

Having been at the centre of speculation in recent months, the Italian is seemingly one step away from bidding farewell to the Spanish capital outfit after an agreement was reached over an exit before the end of the season. And the announcement is set to arrive following Sunday’s ‘Clasico’.

Real Madrid face a crucial battle against Barcelona to reignite their La Liga chase. Sitting four points behind with four games to go, Sunday may well be Ancelotti’s final opportunity to close the gap up front and also get revenge on the Catalans, whom they have not been able to beat this term.

Barca have beaten Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals, 2-5 and 3-2, respectively. To add to their woes, they were also unsuccessful in the league ‘Clasico’ earlier in October, crashing to a 4-0 defeat in front of their own supporters at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid’s most decorated manager

But an inability to salvage their title hopes would not cancel out Ancelotti’s achievements with Real Madrid. The 65-year-old is the Merengues’ most decorated manager, having won a total of 15 trophies during his two spells in Madrid.

His first spell at the helm of Los Blancos lasted two years, conquering the Copa del Rey and the Champions League during his first season in 2013/14. In his second and final year, he won the Spanish Super Cup and the Club World Cup, but they were not enough to grant him another campaign.

The two parties met again six years later. After jumping from Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton, the Italy international landed back at Real Madrid in 2021 to take over from Zinedine Zidane. And since then, his trophy cabinet has seen 11 new additions.

After winning the Spanish Super Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Champions League, and La Liga all twice (2022, 2024), as well as the Copa del Rey (2023), the Club World Cup (2022) and the Intercontinental Cup (2024), Ancelitti eyes one final piece of silverware before signing off at Real Madrid.