REPORT: Player power threatens to push Ancelotti out of Real Madrid

Despite winning the Champions League and LaLiga double last season, Ancelotti's job at Real Madrid could be on the line

Real Madrid have had a rocky start to the 2024/25 season, and it seems things are more complicated than they appear on the surface.

Behind the scenes, reports are emerging that Carlo Ancelotti may be losing the trust of his squad, with some players prioritising individual goals over the team’s success.

Squad turmoil amid lacklustre start

After nine matchdays, Real Madrid trail Barcelona by three points in La Liga and in the Champions League; they have only managed to secure three points from their first two matches in the league phase.

Mbappe and Ancelotti reunited at Real Madrid. (Photo Credit: Romano/X)

On top of these disappointing results, the team’s performances have also been subpar, raising questions about Ancelotti’s ability to turn things around despite the Italian winning the Champions League and LaLiga titles last season.

Recent reports from Spanish publication Sport suggest that key players in the Real Madrid squad are no longer fully behind the Italian coach and this rift seems to have developed due to individual players focusing more on their own ambitions rather than the collective success of the team.

Real Madrid players celebrate the mastermind, Carlo Ancelotti (Credit: Imago)

The loss of key figures like Nacho Fernandez and Toni Kroos during the summer has left a leadership vacuum, and the absence of these experienced players may have contributed to this growing divide in the dressing room.

Ancelotti’s future in doubt as Alonso looms

The Italian gaffer finds himself in a precarious position as the international break offers him a brief respite before the pressure resumes.

Mikel Obi says Ancelotti is too humble for all he has won. (Credit: Imago/Jan Huebner) Carlo Ancelotti has won five five Champions League titles as manager (Imago/Jan Huebner)

The Real Madrid boss is expected to find solutions and get his squad back on track, but if results and performances don’t improve quickly, his position could be at serious risk.

Xabi Alonso is the man behind Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga campaign that has seen them life their first-ever Bundesliga title | Credit: IMAGO

While club officials are reportedly not in a rush to make any drastic decisions, there are already whispers about a potential successor, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, identified as a possible candidate to replace Ancelotti should things continue to deteriorate.