Carlo Ancelotti feels that coaching Barcelona is “not an option” due to his loyalty to Real Madrid, which he called the “best club in the world”.
Ancelotti has won a LaLiga title and two Champions League trophies with Real Madrid in two spells, although there are rumors his time at the club may be coming to an end, with Brazil and Chelsea both reportedly interested in the 63-year-old. .
For all the talk of the next destination in Ancelotti’s successful career, he has ruled out joining rivals Real Madrid in the derby.
“For me, coaching Barcelona is impossible,” Ancelotti told reporters at his press conference ahead of Real Madrid’s match against Villarreal on Saturday.
“After 1,272 games [as a coach], I don’t need to prove anything.
“I wouldn’t change myself. You have to respect my personal history and that of the clubs.
“I don’t change myself for anyone because I feel very comfortable here, where people love me a lot. It’s the best club in the world.
“I’m loved and I feel safe, so there’s no reason to leave Real Madrid for Barcelona.”
Ancelotti’s side thrashed Barça 4-0 in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at Camp Nou on Wednesday to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit and confirm their place in the final against Osasuna.
However, Real Madrid are 12 points behind the Catalan giants in LaLiga and their hopes of retaining the title look all but lost.
Ancelotti does not feel that his team were significantly worse than last season and instead credited Barça for their improvement, saying: “We want to end the season well.
“We only have four points less in the championship than at this stage last year… Barcelona have many more. We want to keep fighting for the championship until the end.”
Ancelotti’s possible departure from Real at the end of the season could be one of several key departures at the club, with the contracts of veterans such as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema set to expire at the end of this season.
The Italian believes the trio will extend their stays, although he remains confident that Real Madrid will continue to be successful in the future, even if they choose to leave.
“I believe they will stay, but the day they stop, something will change,” added Ancelotti. “[But] we have to look at the future of the club in a different line, not the way [they play] with Kroos and Modric.
“We have fantastic youngsters like [Aurelien] Tchouameni, [Federico] Valverde, [Eduardo] Camavinga, [Dani] Ceballos, who are going to start an era, different from the others, of course.”
