Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is in the running for the Real Madrid job if Carlo Ancelotti is sacked. Ancelotti has endured a difficult year at the Bernabeu, with Los Blancos second in LaLiga and on the verge of crashing out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
They host Arsenal in the second leg of their final eight clash on Wednesday night. But they face an almighty task, having been hammered 3-0 in the first leg at the Emirates Stadium last week.
If Madrid do crash out of Europe as expected and fail to overcome Barcelona’s current four point lead at the top of LaLiga, it is widely expected Ancelotti will be sacked. The favourite to take over has been Xabi Alonso for some time.
Alonso spent five years at the Bernabeu as a player, winning LaLiga in 2012, two Copa’s del Rey and the 2014 Champions League. He has impressed as manager of Bayer Leverkusen since joining the German side in 2022.
He led them to the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double last season, with their only loss in any competition coming in the final of the Europa League. But they have endured a more difficult time this year and sit six points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
They were smashed by Bayern in the Last 16 of the Champions League and suffered a shock defeat to third-division Arminia Bielefeld in the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal. According to Sport, those disappointing performances have led to doubts that Alonso is the right man for Madrid.
The Spaniard is willing to take over from Ancelotti, having been tracked for several years by Los Blancos chiefs. But Leverkusen’s tough season and Madrid’s own desire to make a major impact in the summer transfer window has seen doubts rise over Alonso’s suitability.
It is said that the possibility of moving for Klopp is ‘gaining momentum’ among Bernabeu bosses. Some close to president Florentino Perez are said to be suggesting Klopp could be the only candidate to fix their tactical issues.
The former Liverpool boss would be handed ‘much more room’ to maneuver, while his experience of handling the pressure of a big club has also been highlighted. There is an acceptance that a deal would be difficult, though.
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Klopp only started his role as Red Bull’s global head of soccer at the start of the year. But it is thought that an offer from Madrid would at least be enticing for the German, along with the challenge of managing superstars such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
When he started his role at Red Bull back in January, Klopp did admit he could be tempted back into the dugout, though with one condition. The German said: “I will not be the coach of a Red Bull team. That is a clear commitment.
“But I can’t say I will never be a coach again in my life. I am probably the only person in this room who will be asked where are you in five years, I don’t have a clue. But I will not be a replacement for one of the Red Bull coaches. I hope we can create a structure where these questions will not come up at all.”
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