- Ancelotti, 65, has been heavily linked to the vacant job at Brazil in recent weeks
- Real Madrid’s chances of securing a major trophy suffered a blow on Saturday
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Brazil will step up their bid to install Carlo Ancelotti as national team coach in the wake of Real Madrid’s dramatic Copa del Rey final defeat to rivals Barcelona on Saturday.
Ancelotti’s side lost 3-2 to an extra-time winner from Jules Kounde and had Jude Bellingham, Antonio Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez sent off as the match ended amid angry scenes.
Real are still competing with Barca for the La Liga title but Ancelotti is expected to leave the Bernabeu in the coming months and Brazil are working hard to appoint him as soon as possible.
Diego Fernandes, an intermediary for the Brazilian FA, was once again spotted in attendance at Saturday’s final in Sevilla and is understood to have held talks with Ancelotti over succeeding Dorival Junior who was sacked in the wake of his country’s 4-1 humiliation at the hands of rivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying last month.
Fernandes has been spending an increasing amount of time in Spain over the last few months in an attempt to persuade Ancelotti to become Brazil boss before the World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June, and miss Madrid’s appearance in the Club World Cup. Former Real star and current Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is being tipped to succeed the 65-year-old.
Sources close to the deal say that Fernandes’ role has been ‘tactful and diplomatic’ as he attempts to secure an early release for Ancelotti that would be seen as a mark of respect between the coach and Real president Florentino Perez as opposed to any breakdown in the working relationship between the two men.
Carlo Ancelotti could become the next Brazil manager with the country’s FA stepping up their pursuit of the Real Madrid boss
Diego Fernandes (centre), an intermediary for the Brazilian FA, was once again spotted in attendance at the Copa del Rey final
Ancelotti is under contract until 2026, but asked about his future after Saturday’s final, he said: ‘I could stay at Real Madrid or maybe leave, we will see. It will be a topic for the next weeks not for today.’
