Carlo Ancelotti insists he and his Real Madrid players remain united and committed to salvaging the club’s season despite their midweek elimination from the Champions League.
The Italian’s future at the Bernabeu remains in doubt with his team having lost their quarter-final 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal, and trailing Barcelona by four points in La Liga.
However, the 65-year-old has reaffirmed his desire to stay at the club and compete for the trophies Real can still claim this term, saying that he, the players and the club are all working in unison.
“I have spoken to the players and the club, “the Italian coach said before his side’s game against Athletic Club on Sunday. “We are all on the same line, which is to keep fighting for the remaining titles.
“We are all hurt to be out of the most important competition (the Champions League), but these are things that can happen in football. You can’t always win.
“There is no kind of confrontation with the club. We are always in the same boat. Whoever talks about a confrontation between me and the president or the club is not telling the truth.
“The president (Florentino Perez) shows me more affection at the moment than when we have won. In this world, everything is questioned.”
Real have not given up hope of overhauling Barca’s lead at the top of La Liga, and will play the Catalans in the Copa del Rey final at the Estadio de la Cartuja on April 26. They are also to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.
When asked if he thinks he will still be in charge of Real Madrid when the Club World Cup begins in June, Ancelotti said: “I have an opinion that we will talk about at the end of the season.”
(Pablo Morano/BSR Agency/Getty Images)