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After two years of managing Spanish club Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti and the team have parted ways. It was announced on Monday that Ancelotti would not be managing Real Madrid a year and a day after the club won its 10th European Champions League title.
President Florentino Perez made the decision to fire his ninth coach in 12 years at a press conference. The news has not been received well by players and fans as many thought he would complete his three year contract, which he had a year left on.
Perez emerged on Monday afternoon at Madrid and said, ” I want to tell you that we have decided to relieve Carlo Ancelotti. This has been, as you can imagine, a very difficult decision for the board but as always we have not come here to Real Madrid to take the easy decisions but the best decision for the institution.”
Ancelotti became part of Madrid’s history when he won La Decima last year against city rivals, Atletico Madrid. Though talks were emerging that he would be sacked if he had not won the title last year, a late goal by Angel di Maria in stoppage time saved Ancelotti and the club was able to go into extra time. They eventually won on an outstanding 4-1 result to lift the club’s tenth Champions League title.
The Italian manager also won the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup and the Copa del Rey during his two years at the club. He failed to win La Liga title, advance to the Final of the Champions League competition and made an early exit in the Copa del Rey.
Though Ancelotti has been linked to a move back to Italian club AC Milan, he decided to take a year off managing and get surgery on his back, and come back next year hoping to win titles with a different club.
Real Madrid have been linked to signing former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez, who served as a youth team player and coach over 20 years ago. President Perez added that “next week the new manager would be announced”, keeping players and fans on their toes.
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