Ancelotti denies reports of Real Madrid exit
Carlo Ancelotti has denied reports claiming he will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, saying he wants to remain at the club for four more years.
Ancelotti, who has won three UEFA Champions League crowns and LaLiga on two occasions across two stints with Madrid, is under contract in the Spanish capital until 2026.
However, Spanish radio station Onda Cero reported that the Italian had decided to leave at the end of the campaign, with Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso one coach to be linked with Madrid.
However, speaking ahead of this week's UEFA Champions League meeting with Salzburg, Ancelotti insisted that was not the case.
Asked if there was any truth in those reports, he said: "No. I want to be very clear.
"I won't decide my departure date from this club. I know the day will come, but when that day will come, I don't know. I won't decide.
"It could be tomorrow, after the next game, in a year, or in five years."
Ancelotti added that he would like to remain with the club for four more years, with club president Florentino Perez set to stay at the helm until 2029.
"I have a target. We have Florentino here for another four years," Ancelotti said. "He knows me well, and the target is to be here for those four years. We can leave together with all the affection in the world."
Despite a 3-2 win at Atalanta on the previous UEFA Champions League matchday, Madrid remains 20th on the 36-team table, four points adrift of the automatic qualification spots.
Ancelotti has set his team the target of two wins to finish its campaign if it is to have any chance of a top-eight finish.
"There are not many options other than to win the two remaining matches," he said. "Winning tomorrow is a very important one, obviously, because there's not long to go before the end of the group stage. Tomorrow is vital and we'll try to play well.
"However, if we have to play the two-legged knockout playoff, we'll play at full strength. The schedule will be even more demanding, but we are used to it."
Ancelotti added he was content with his forward line but stressed that his team requires improvements in defence if it is to defend its European crown.
"It's hard to give a grade from one to 100 to the team right now," he said. "Offensively we're performing very well but defensively we need to improve a lot.
"This will be the key to success this season. If we do that, we'll fight to the end in all competitions."
