Report: Ancelotti to meet with Perez to discuss Real Madrid exit

Carlo Ancelotti will meet with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in the coming days to discuss his potential exit from the club, sources told Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez of ESPN.

It's expected the meeting will result in an agreement that allows the decorated Italian to depart after Real Madrid's final game of the La Liga season against Real Sociedad on May 25, before this summer's Club World Cup.

Ancelotti's contract with Los Blancos runs until 2026, but he's continuously been tipped as the next manager of Brazil's men's national team. Ancelotti has reportedly been the preferred choice of Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues ever since Tite stepped down as Brazil's coach after the 2022 World Cup.

Brazil fired Dorival Junior in March, and ESPN reported last week that the CBF and Ancelotti's camp had re-engaged in talks about a contract.

Ancelotti is one of the most successful coaches in Real Madrid history, but his position has come under increasing scrutiny following Madrid's exit from the Champions League and Saturday's loss to bitter rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

"Whether I continue (at Madrid) is an issue for the coming weeks, not for today," Ancelotti said when asked about his next move following Saturday's 3-2 extra-time defeat.

Madrid, who won both La Liga and the Champions League last season, are second in Spain's top flight behind Barca this year and need to overturn a four-point deficit over their final five games to avoid a trophyless 2024-25 campaign.

If Ancelotti does indeed depart immediately after the La Liga season ends, Real Madrid would need to find a coach for this summer's Club World Cup.

An internal hire would likely be made on an interim basis in that case, sources told Kirkland and Faez. Director of football Santiago Solari, Castilla coach Raul Gonzalez, or Under-19 boss Alvaro Arbeloa are all among the potential short-term options.