Carlo Ancelotti Leaves Real Madrid for Brazil National Team
Carlo Ancelotti`s second spell as Real Madrid manager is officially set to conclude. Ancelotti will depart the club following their final La Liga fixture on May 25. He is confirmed to take over the Brazil national team, a move that has been widely anticipated for some time.
His tenure with the Seleção will commence on May 26, with his first matches being World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador on June 7 and Paraguay on June 10. He is expected to lead Brazil through the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ancelotti`s switch marks another high-profile move from elite club management to international football ahead of the 2026 World Cup, following coaches like Mauricio Pochettino, Thomas Tuchel, and Julian Nagelsmann taking national team roles (Note: The original text incorrectly listed these managers as current national team coaches, but the core point about managers moving from club to international is retained). His appointment adds significant prestige to Brazil`s setup, but also highlights the challenge ahead. The five-time world champions have appeared somewhat lacking direction since their quarterfinal exit in the 2022 World Cup, resulting in a poor start to their 2026 qualifying campaign (winning only two of their first six games) and a quarterfinal elimination in last year`s Copa America. The new coach will be tasked with revitalizing the team and extracting the best performance from a talented attacking roster, including players like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, who have consistently excelled for Ancelotti at Real Madrid but less so for the national side.
For Real Madrid, Ancelotti leaves a club deeply intertwined with his legacy across two remarkably successful periods. He famously stated his relationship with Madrid would be a “honeymoon until the last day of my life.” During his time, he secured three of his five UEFA Champions League titles, making him the competition`s most successful manager, alongside two La Liga trophies. Former player Xabi Alonso, who recently led Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title, is widely expected to succeed Ancelotti. Ancelotti himself praised Alonso as “one of the best coaches in the world.”
As Ancelotti prepares for his new challenge with Brazil, he leaves a significant undertaking for his successor in Madrid. The club is poised to end the season without a major domestic or continental trophy for the first time since 2018-19. This occurs despite recent additions like Kylian Mbappe, who, while helpful, hasn`t fully masked underlying squad imbalances and the need for improvements in several areas. Ancelotti returned in 2021 partly to stabilize the team, but his confirmed departure now signals an impending period of genuine transition for Los Blancos.
English Championship Promotion Playoff Race Continues
The intense competition for the final promotion place into next season`s Premier League continues this week in the English Championship playoffs. The semifinals will see the four remaining teams reduced to two who will contest the final.
One team appears to have all but secured their spot in the playoff final: Sheffield United. They host Bristol City having won the first leg convincingly 3-0, thanks to goals from Harrison Burrows, Andre Brooks, and Callum O`Hare. This scoreline reflects the significant points difference between the teams during the regular season, with Bristol finishing 24 points behind United. Sheffield United are aiming for an immediate return to the Premier League after finishing bottom last season, sticking with manager Chris Wilder in their bid to bounce straight back up.
The other semifinal is expected to be a more closely fought affair when Sunderland hosts Coventry City. Sunderland holds a narrow 2-1 advantage from the first leg, with goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda. The Black Cats are striving to reach the Premier League for the first time since the 2016-17 season, which ended in relegation. Their journey since has been dramatic, including immediate relegation to League One and spending four seasons in the third tier before returning to the Championship for the 2022-23 campaign. Meanwhile, the Coventry side, led by Frank Lampard (as stated in the original text), hopes to end their long absence from the Premier League, not having featured there since the 2000-01 season and having spent over two decades navigating England`s lower divisions.
Each side is vying for a place in the promotion playoff final scheduled for May 24 at Wembley Stadium in London. This match is often described as the richest game in football due to the enormous financial rewards of entering the Premier League. For context, Sheffield United received approximately $145 million from their top-flight participation last season despite finishing last, significantly more than the roughly $65 million they earned in the Championship this season as a recently relegated club.
Top Football Stories
- Barcelona wins El Clasico: Barcelona secured another victory against Real Madrid, winning 4-3 on Sunday. This result virtually guarantees Barcelona the La Liga title, a feat many did not predict at the season`s start.
- Ancelotti to Brazil Analysis: Further commentary suggests Brazil`s decision to hire Carlo Ancelotti, with just one year until the World Cup, could be viewed as a move born of desperation for the national team.
- Savy King Update: Angel City defender Savy King was in a responsive condition after collapsing during her team`s 2-0 win against the Utah Royals. The match resumed after a brief stoppage, a decision that has drawn criticism towards league officials from many within the NWSL.
- Women`s World Cup Expansion: FIFA plans to expand the Women`s World Cup to 48 teams for the 2031 tournament, which the United States is set to co-host. This expansion will match the format of the men`s competition.
- Real Madrid`s Future: With Xabi Alonso`s appointment expected, an analysis explores the potential transfer market needs for Real Madrid and which players might benefit from the new manager`s arrival.
- Wirtz to Bayern Rumors: Xabi Alonso might not be the only key figure leaving Bayer Leverkusen this summer; star midfielder Florian Wirtz is reportedly nearing a move to domestic rivals Bayern Munich.
- LA Galaxy`s Record Start: The LA Galaxy have recorded the worst start by a reigning MLS Cup champion, remaining winless in their opening 12 games, highlighted by a crushing 7-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls.
Best Bets
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Serie A: Atalanta vs. Roma, Monday
💰 THE PICK: Atalanta and Roma to tie 1-1 (+550) – The race for European qualification spots in Serie A is as intense as the title chase, with only six points separating third and seventh place with just three rounds remaining. This makes every match crucial, even for a team in third like Atalanta, who need to keep sixth-placed Roma at bay. While Atalanta are favored, Roma also have strong motivation. This weekend has seen points surprisingly dropped across the league. Expect these two sides to end up sharing the points, keeping the race for European qualification uncertain for as long as possible.
