Speculation about Carlo Ancelotti's departure from Real Madrid has intensified following their Champions League quarterfinal elimination against Arsenal. According to Sky Sports, the Italian manager has already made up his mind and will leave the club after the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona, scheduled for April 26.

While Ancelotti is under contract until June 2026, the 5-1 aggregate loss to the Premier League side and the team’s struggles in key fixtures have cast serious doubt over his future. On top of that, the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the United States — set to take place from June 14 to July 13 — presents a scheduling dilemma as it overlaps with the end of most European contracts.

Arsenal Defeat May Have Been the Breaking Point

The tie against Arsenal exposed glaring weaknesses in Real Madrid’s approach. After a 3-0 loss in the first leg, the team returned to the Santiago Bernabéu hoping for a miracle, but the visitors once again dominated, sealing a 2-1 win. Madrid launched 36 crosses — with only a 16% success rate — and created no real danger.

Ancelotti’s decision to stick with a 4-3-3 attack and a 4-4-2 defensive transition — a strategy that had failed in other big matches — came under fire. The coach himself admitted, “Compared to last season, we’ve lacked a bit of collective attitude.”

Clash With Barcelona Could Define His Farewell

Despite the bleak outlook, Ancelotti still has two major opportunities to change the narrative: beating Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and chasing the LaLiga title, where Real Madrid trails by four points with a crucial clash at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys still on the schedule.

However, recent thrashings at the hands of Barcelona — 0-4 in LaLiga and 2-5 in the Supercopa — do not bode well. Meanwhile, names like Xabi Alonso and Jürgen Klopp have already surfaced as possible successors.

Ancelotti, for his part, has expressed uncertainty about his future: “I don’t know if this was my last Champions League match. It could be tomorrow or in a few years. I’m just thankful to the club.” All signs point to April 26 being the final chapter of his second spell in Madrid.