- Carlo Ancelotti remained philosophical after Real Madrid’s 1:2 loss to Arsenal and Champions League exit
- The Italian admitted Arsenal deserved both wins and acknowledged this season “was not ours”
- Despite growing speculation and Brazil’s interest, Ancelotti insisted he hasn’t thought about leaving
Key Takeaways:
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti took a philosophical approach to the team’s 1:2 defeat against Arsenal in the return leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, which sealed their exit from the tournament. Immediately after the match, speculation about the Italian’s future surfaced once again, especially amid reports that Brazil wants Ancelotti to take charge soon—before June—with an executive even sent to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday.
“For us to change the dynamic, we needed something — maybe that penalty we didn’t get… Something, we needed something. But we have to be honest, Arsenal deserved to win both matches. Football has a joyful side and a sad one. We’ve been happy many times, but today we are sad,” said Ancelotti.
🚨🚨 BREAKING: Brazil have INTENSIFIED contacts with Carlo Ancelotti. @ellarguero pic.twitter.com/VCR9gB2ma7
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 16, 2025
He was then asked directly about his future.
“Right now, we’re fighting for La Liga, we have a Copa del Rey final, we have the Club World Cup… It’s an endless season, but we have to regroup. This is another part of football that we’re not used to. My future? I don’t know what my future will be and I don’t want to know…”
Despite the disappointment, Ancelotti refused to dwell too much on the loss and said analysis would come later.
“This is a disappointment, but we’ll do our analysis. Today, however, isn’t the time. We need to lift our heads and admit this wasn’t our season. No team is unbeatable.”
When asked whether this might have been his final Champions League match, the Italian offered a calm response.
“I don’t know. As I said, on the day I leave here, I’ll do only one thing: thank the club. Whether my contract ends or not doesn’t matter to me. I’ve never even for a moment thought I wouldn’t be Real Madrid’s coach.”