Florentino Pérez is keeping all avenues open in case Carlo Ancelotti is unable to finish the season with Real Madrid. So far, the president has opted to keep him in office, hoping for a substantial improvement, both in terms of play and results. In the event that this doesn't happen, Florentino has his replacement ready at the helm of Bernabéu: Solari .
Santiago Solari seems to be the man to be chosen by the Real Madrid president in the event that an emergency solution is needed. The Argentine knows what it's like to take over the Madrid dugout in the middle of a season and try to get good results as soon as possible. He didn't have a great deal of experience, but his confidence in young talents was greatly appreciated, being the coach who trusted Vinícius Júnior the most.
Solari's first (and only) experience as Real Madrid 's head coach occurred in October 2018, when Florentino Pérez fired Lopetegui. There were several names on the table and, after consulting with the squad, the Argentine was chosen. He took over as a club man and tried to move the season forward, obtaining 21 victories, 2 draws and 8 defeats.
However, Solari was sacked a few months later, in March, after being eliminated from the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and losing twice to Barcelona. But in a difficult moment, what Florentino wants is a trustworthy man at the helm of Madrid who trusts the younger players... And this is what the Argentine offers him.
Florentino's Plan if Ancelotti Falls: Solari First, Then...
In this sense, what Florentino is clear about is that Solari, already with a position at Real Madrid, would only be a temporary coach. What he wants to have at hand is an emergency solution, in case Ancelotti's season ends up falling apart. For 2025, the president already has a new Real Madrid coach ready: Xabi Alonso .
Xabi Alonso has decided that this will be his last season at Bayer Leverkusen and he has already decided where he will go next: Real Madrid. 'Sky Germany' has discovered that everything is already done between both parties and in 2025 he will arrive at Santiago Bernabéu. it's the option that Florentino Pérez has always had in mind in the event that Carlo Ancelotti's time at Real Madrid ends prematurely.
Xabi Alonso's case is similar to Ancelotti's. He has a contract until 2026 and, although Leverkusen don't want to get rid of him, there's a clause that makes everything easier. When he signed, he included an option to go to three specific teams for a small amount of money. In addition to Bayern and Liverpool, the other is Real Madrid.
Last summer, Bayern and Liverpool contacted Xabi Alonso to take him away from Leverkusen, but the Spaniard rejected these possibilities. He always had in mind that the 2024/25 campaign would be his last with the German team and, in addition, he was clear that his next step would always be to go to Real Madrid. He has everything agreed with Florentino Pérez and there will be no problem.