Wednesday 13 May 2015 23:00, UK
Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry both expect Carlo Ancelotti to lose his job after Real Madrid’s Champions League semi-final exit to Juventus.
The defending champions were beaten 3-2 on aggregate following a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu.
The result comes just days after Real saw their hopes of winning La Liga fade following a 2-2 draw with Valencia that leaves them four points behind Barcelona with two games to play.
And Carragher thinks Ancelotti will pay the price for failing to win any silverware this season.
“I don't think he will be manager here next year, he will know that better than anyone,” he said on Sky Sports. “He was a (Sergio) Ramos header away from losing his job last year. He's one of the world's top managers and has won the Champions League three times, but there's no way he'll be here.
“I wouldn't be surprised if it happens in the next couple of days. That's the nature of Real, they hire and fire managers. We've seen them fire people who have won the Champions League so the fact he has had a season without winning a trophy, there is no chance of him being here next year.”
I don’t think they can go out and get anyone better...there is no substitute for experience at this level.
Since taking over at Real in 2013, Ancelotti has won the Champions League, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
He is under contract at the Bernabeu until 2016 but Henry, like Carragher, does not expect him to survive beyond the summer.
“This is Real Madrid, if you don't deliver every year, you have to go. That's just how it is,” said the former Barcelona forward.
“We would be happy to see him in the Premier League. He's a great manager and a great guy.”
If Ancelotti does leave then current Real Madrid B team coach Zinedine Zidane has been touted as a possible replacement.
“I don’t think they can go out and get anyone better," said Graeme Souness. "You talk about experience of winning the big trophies, he is knowledgeable and there is no substitute for experience at this level.
“I don’t know where they go, if they go and try Zinedine Zidane then the pressure is on. That’s the price on the ticket, it’s not just about winning trophies, it’s about doing it in a certain way.”
Henry, who played alongside Zidane for France, said: “I think Zidane can take the job because Pep Guardiola had to do that. When he was with the youth team at Barca everyone said it was too early but he did it well. Zidane can be the guy and one thing in his favour is the crowd would be patient because he is a legend.”
