I’m here for the long haul, says Real Madrid coach Ancelotti

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday that he has no plans to retire as he prepares for his 300th match in charge in a La Liga clash against Alaves.
Unbeaten in the league for a year and after a remarkable 2023-24 season in which he guided Real to a Champions League and La Liga double, the 65-year-old Italian said that he would love to stay in the Spanish capital for many years to come.
“I’m not thinking about my future whatsoever, I love this job,” Ancelotti, who is in his second spell as Real manager, told a press conference ahead of today’s game.
“I have been lucky to coach great clubs, tomorrow it will be my 300th game at the best club in the world, it is something special to be in this dugout, to do it 300 times is not quite a miracle, but it is almost a miracle.
“Sure, you can’t compare my tiredness with that of the players. There is pressure, responsibility, but I love it. At the moment I don’t see me having an expiry date, I’d love to stay here for many years to come.”
Real’s only two losses last season were both to local rivals Atletico Madrid, a 3-1 defeat in La Liga on Sept. 24 2023 and a 4-2 extra-time loss in the Copa del Rey last 16 in January. Ancelotti’s side have now gone 38 league games unbeaten, closing in on the record held by Barcelona, who went 43 games without defeat between April 2017 and May 2018.
The coach praised the resilience of his players who have repeatedly found ways to salvage a result despite sometimes having key members of the squad injured.
“Some records are about winning and others are about not losing. We are coming from a very long run and that means a lot of success, because draws often help you a lot,” Ancelotti said.
“I think that in football, if you can’t win, at least don’t lose. Sometimes a draw gives a better feeling than a defeat. Defeat gives options to improve, that’s true. But the success of the Champions League in the past lies in our solidity, in the way we compete.
“It has taken us a while to find this solidity at the start of the season, but we are going to find it, because the mental attitude of the players is very good.”
Real Madrid are second in the La Liga standings on 14 points, four behind leaders Barcelona.

Barca goalkeeper Ter Stegen undergoes surgery
Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has undergone a successful surgery on Monday after suffering a complete rupture of the patella tendon in his right knee, the La Liga club said.
The 32-year-old Germany international picked up the injury during Barcelona’s 5-1 win at Villarreal in La Liga on Sunday.
“Ter Stegen has undergone a successful surgical intervention on the patella tendon injury in his right knee by Dr Joan Carles Monllau under the supervision of the Club’s Medical Services at Barcelona Hospital,” Barcelona said in a statement.
“The player is unavailable for selection and his recovery will dictate his return.”
Ter Stegen fell badly after jumping for a ball just before halftime and was visibly in pain as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
All of his weight fell on his right leg as he injured the same knee on which he had already undergone two surgeries in recent years, and another surgery could prove season-ending, Spanish media had earlier reported.
Tests carried out confirmed that the player suffered a complete rupture of the patella tendon in his right knee, Barcelona said earlier on Monday, adding he would undergo a surgical process in the afternoon.
Barcelona’s first-choice keeper is expected to be out for at least seven months, Spanish media reported. He will miss a significant portion of games as Hansi Flick’s side face Bayern Munich in the Champions League next month, as well as defending champions Real Madrid in La Liga.