"My contract is clear, I have one more year" - Ancelotti on Real Madrid future

Carlo Ancelotti's future at Real Madrid has been put in question amid the club's recent poor results. Sitting four points behind Barcelona in the title race, and with a foot out of the Champions League following his 3-0 loss at Arsenal, the Italian head coach is enduring a challenging period at the helm of 'Los Blancos'.

Nevertheless, Ancelotti was quick to shut down rumours linking him to a move away from the Spanish capital for the upcoming season, as he insisted he intends to run down his Real Madrid contract, which expires in June 2026. "I don't have to talk about my future. My contract is pretty clear, I have one more year. The club always supports me, especially in this difficult moment," he told reporters.

Speaking on his team's disappointing performances in recent outings, he added: "Each defeat is the same. When you lose, it's tough. You have to think about what to do better. But unfortunately, that's just how football is. After a defeat, there is an opportunity to grow. The players trained well these days, focused on tomorrow."

The 'Merengues' visit Deportivo Alaves at the Mendizorroza on Sunday afternoon, looking to cut down their deficit from table toppers Barca. Straight after that, they will play the second leg of their quarter-final tie against the Gunners on Wednesday, hoping to turn around the massive disadvantage suffered at the Emirates on Tuesday. 

"We will try to win. Everyone is thinking about Wednesday, but all that depends on our performance tomorrow," Ancelotti said, before making a note on his side's packed schedule between European and domestic competitions. "I don't understand why we play tomorrow. But we have more than 72 hours to rest, so we can't complain," he explained.

Ancelotti accepted statistics showed his players had run less than their Arsenal counterparts in the defeat at the Emirates, but said that was not the main reason for what happened. "In the past we've run less and, despite that, we've won two Champions Leagues," said the coach, whose side triumphed in 2022 and 2024. "We can do more (in that regard), but it's not just about that." 

The 65-year-old was asked to comment on Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes' lack of goals in recent matches. However, Ancelotti refused to single out the Brazilian pair, explaining that their lack of involvement was due to the team's overall rocky period. "It's a collective bad moment, not just individual. We are conceding too many goals," he concluded.