Speculation grows over Mourinho future

Real Madrid directors call an early meeting as Carlo Ancelotti confirms he wants to leave French champions PSG.

Cristinao Ronaldo
Real Madrid slumped to a shock defeat at Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final last week, leaving the Spanish team with no silverware this season [GALLO/GETTY]

Real Madrid directors have called a board meeting for Monday as speculation mounts that coach Jose Mourinho is heading for the exit after a season he himself described as the worst of his career.

Directors brought forward a weekly meeting, usually held later in the week, to Monday, a club spokesman said.

“There is indeed a meeting of the board of directors scheduled for today,” said the spokesman.

“I have no idea what topics will be raised,” he added.

Trophy-less season

Real Madrid suffered a shock 2-1 loss to derby rivals Atletico Madrid in the final of the Spanish Cup on Friday, leaving Mourinho’s players with no silverware this season since they lifted the Spanish Super Cup last August.

“This is the worst season of my career with a title that is not sufficient to satisfy Real Madrid and therefore it is a bad season,” Mourinho, who is widely expected to return to Chelsea next season, said after their defeat.

“I have a contract for three more years and I have still not sat down with the president to talk about my future,” Mourinho said when asked if he expected to be in charge at the Bernabeu next season.

“I have to be honest. Until the day that the president sits down with me and the club does something official, it has to be like this.”

Paris Saint-Germain coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed Sunday, however, that he wants to leave the French champions to take over at Real Madrid.

“My wish is to leave the club,” said the Italian after meeting PSG club president Nasser al-Khelaifi.

“I have asked the club to leave. We are going to wait for a response from the club who are going to take a few days to decide.”

But al-Khelaifi insisted that Ancelotti, who this season led PSG to a first title since 1994, is going nowhere.

“He said that he wanted to leave for Real Madrid. I said it’s not possible because he has a contract for another year — that is our decision,” al-Khelaifi told www.beinsport.fr.

Source: AFP