After Zinedine Zidane resigned from the Real Madrid post last summer, there was plenty of speculation surrounding who would take his job. Not a many outlets had Carlo Ancelotti signing with Los Blancos in the immediate aftermath of Zidane’s resignation.
Far more time and many more bylines were dedicated to Massimiliano Allegri. The current Juventus manager had been linked with Real Madrid almost every summer since reaching the Champions League final against Los Blancos in 2017.
Speaking to GQ Hype magazine, Allegri did confirm that there was some truth in those reports. Allegri was due to take over in Madrid before receiving a call from Turin, with Mundo Deportivo carrying the quotes.
“I had already signed an agreement with Real Madrid. But then in the morning I called the President (Florentino Perez) and I said that I wouldn’t go because I had chosen Juventus. He appreciated my words. Since Juventus called me in May I haven’t had any doubts.”
“On a professional level, it would have been the culmination of a path, of course: Milan, Juventus, Real Madrid…”
“But in life you can’t always have everything and I am very happy and proud to have trained Milan for four years and now I am looking to go for a sixth with Juventus.”
He also confirmed the links between himself and Real Madrid before Zinedine Zidane returned to the post.
“I have said no to Real Madid twice. The first was when I was renewing with Juventus: I said to the President that I had already given my word to Andrea Agnelli.”
No doubt Florentino Perez is not used to people saying no to him, let alone twice. All things said and done, he will likely be pleased with Ancelotti’s work this season overall – with the exception of their defeat to Barcelona.
