Carlo Ancelotti: Real Madrid boss says ‘all doors are open’ for Xabi Alonso after departure from Bayer Leverkusen
ByOli Gent
Published 10/05/2025 at 20:07 GMT+1
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has said that Xabi Alonso has "all doors open" to him and hailed him as "one of the best coaches in the world" as he reacted to the Spaniard's recent announcement that he was leaving Bayer Leverkusen. Alonso, the former Real and Liverpool midfielder, is widely expected to take over from Ancelotti at Madrid in the summer, with Ancelotti touted for the Brazil job.
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Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti believes that Xabi Alonso has "all doors are open" to him when he leaves Bayer Leverkusen.
It was announced on Friday that the Spaniard would be departing last season’s Bundesliga champions at the end of this campaign.
Alonso is widely reported to be set to take over from Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer.
Ancelotti himself has been heavily linked with a move to international football, he is being courted by Brazil, where many of his current Madrid players hail from, including Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Eder Militao.
Speaking to the media ahead of Real’s Clasico clash with Barcelona on Sunday, Ancelotti said of Alonso: "I saw [Alonso's announcement].
"I've read he's leaving Leverkusen, where he's done a fantastic job. All doors are open to him, because he's shown himself to be one of the best coaches in the world."
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On his own future, Ancelotti said that "the honeymoon will continue forever" if he were to depart.
"The honeymoon with this club never ends," he said.
"The honeymoon will continue forever. Real Madrid is like [AC] Milan, teams that stay in your heart more than others.
"If you ask about the honeymoon as coach, I don't know, but the honeymoon continues. Like any relationship, there's a lot of passion at first, and then there are a lot of other things, when the passion goes, there are other things like affection. I think my honeymoon with Real Madrid will continue all my life."
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Alonso, the former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder, will have been in charge of Leverkusen for three years when his tenure comes to an end at the BayArena.
He led the club to a maiden Bundesliga title in 2023/24 - they went the whole season unbeaten -although they have forfeited that crown to Bayern Munich this time around.
They also lifted a second DFB Pokal in their history, as well as the DFL-Supercup.
They reached the final of the UEFA Europa League, but were beaten by Atalanta in the final 3-0, and were knocked out in the last four of the same competition in the year prior in Alonso’s first term.
In this year’s UEFA Champions League, they finished sixth in the inaugural league phase, before losing out to Bayern Munich in the last 16.
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In Spain, the Clasico will play a crucial part in the tense La Liga title race, with Barcelona leading Madrid by four points at the summit.
Hansi Flick’s side beat Real 4-0 at the Bernabeu in their first league encounter, before they beat their rivals 5-2 in the Supercopa final.
The Catalans got a third victory over Madrid in the Copa del Rey final, defeating them 3-2.
Should Madrid snag all three points, they will cut Barca’s lead to a point with three games to play of the regular season.
"In these games you have to do everything well," Ancelotti said. "You have to defend well. They're a team that tends to push you back into your own half, and when you have the ball, you have to make the most of their weaknesses, because no team is perfect.
"There's a lot at stake. If Barcelona win tomorrow, they have more of a chance. If we win, the league opens up and anything can happen."
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