A few months before the end of the 2024-2025 season, former striker and sporting director of Real Madrid, Predrag Mijatović, is calling for Carlo Ancelotti’s departure. On the show “El Cafelito,” hosted by Josep Pedrerol, the former Madrid striker urges Florentino Pérez to recruit a young coach.
This is a matter between Real Madrid legends. While Carlo Ancelotti is nearing the end of his penultimate year of contract with the club, voices are rising for him not to continue. Despite his status as the best coach in the club’s history due to his remarkable achievements, the former Milan AC player does not reassure all Madrid fans. Among the sceptics is Predrag Mijatović, the former Montenegrin striker who played for the Madrid side from 1996 to 1999 (118 matches, 36 goals).
Predrag Mijatović’s view on Ancelotti
For the 56-year-old man, who also served as sporting director at Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez should turn the page on Carlo Ancelotti at the end of the season. On the show “El Cafelito,” hosted by Josep Pedrerol, another friend of the club’s president, Mijatović makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with the current situation, regardless of the outcome of the ongoing season. “I already said, not long ago, that Ancelotti did an excellent job during his two spells at Real Madrid,” said the former Ballon d’Or runner-up in 1997.
Before urging Florentino Pérez to take action, Predrag acknowledges the greatness of the 65-year-old coach. “He’s the coach who has won the most titles, and I don’t think anyone can surpass him, because football is heading in a direction where there’s less patience with coaches and players every day. No one will have a career as long as his to surpass him in terms of titles won,” explained the former Madrid striker.
“He’s been here too long”
After the praise, the former Madrid director brought out the heavy artillery. Clearly, Mijatović believes that another season of Carlo Ancelotti at the helm of the team will only result in stagnation. For the man who has also played for Valencia and Fiorentina, a profile like Xabi Alonso would be ideal for the Madrid side, which boasts several young talents.
“I think that, no matter how this season ends, Ancelotti should leave Real Madrid. To be clearer, I would say that Florentino Pérez should make a choice. He should choose to go with another solution as coach. And if it can be Xabi Alonso, he should be the number 1 option,” said Predrag Mijatović, before adding: “He’s been here too long and has won too many titles. Now, he can hardly offer anything more, something new, something revolutionary.”
In his logic, the former Yugoslav international gives the example of Fabio Capello to motivate Florentino Pérez not to act sentimentally with Ancelotti. “Should I say not to keep a coach who has won a Champions League? Why not? I brought Fabio Capello in, he won a Liga… and I sacked him. Because he didn’t follow the philosophy that looks at the future of football.”
This is a very clear statement that will undoubtedly not please the current coach of Real Madrid, who would prefer to see out his contract, especially if he wins further major trophies this season. Whatever happens, Carlo Ancelotti has had his time, and with the pace of matches and the demands of modern football, it might not be a bad idea for him to hand over to another coach to guide the current young Real Madrid team. To be continued.
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