Carlo Ancelotti has reflected on his time at Real Madrid and the intense demand for trophies. ‘Winning La Decima only assured me of another year.’
Ancelotti was sacked at the end of the 2014-15 season when Madrid missed out on the League, Copa del Rey and Champions League to Barcelona, although the Italian pointed out in an interview with Corriere Della Sera that he didn’t leave empty handed.
“Madrid said goodbye because we didn’t win the League or the Champions League. We only won the Club World Cup and the Supercopa de Espana,” AS reports the Italian as saying, having left Santiago Bernabeu a year after clinching the club’s 10th European Cup.
“That’s the philosophy. When I joined Madrid I knew I could last a month, a year, three, five…it depended on the trophies we won. La Decima only assured me of one more year.”
Ancelotti added that though his relationship with Florentino Perez was sound, his time at the Bernabeu left him exhausted.
“The relationship with Florentino was of respect, as I’ve had with other Presidents,” he continued.
“When it was clear I was leaving Madrid [Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani] came to to tempt me. I was flattered but I said no.
“Galliani is nice and bright but after two years at Madrid I had no energy. Madrid takes a lot out of you. We didn’t even talk about money.
“I don’t know where I’m going to work next, but it’ll certainly be with a club. It’s not the time for the national team.”
Ancelotti worked with Alvaro Morata at Madrid and was in charge when the striker was sold to Juventus, and was asked about the Spain international’s future.
“The kid has already shown his quality at Madrid, but with Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema there he needed to play more football. For me he should stay at Juve,” Ancelotti recommended.
