Real Madrid are furious with boss Carlo Ancelotti following their limp defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.
The Spanish league leaders failed to provide a meaningful attacking threat at any point during encounter, which was decided by Kylian Mbappe’s stoppage time winner.
Such was the nature of the defeat, Los Blancos club president Florentino Perez is said to be enraged with the outcome and is even considering replacing Ancelotti in the club hotseat.
The Italian only returned to the club this summer after six years away, having been selected as the successor to Zinedine Zidane and taken from Everton.
Despite guiding his side to top spot in La Liga – four points clear of second-placed Sevilla – Madrid are now considering Ancelotti’s future and they have a prime candidate in mind.
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Mauricio Pochettino, who masterminded PSG’s first leg victory, is said to be strongly admired in the Spanish capital.
Pochettino remains the favourite for the Manchester United job, as revealed earlier this month, with the Old Trafford hierarchy confident of landing their man.
That revelation was later fleshed out by Mirror Football reporting that the Argentine was the preferred candidate among the players in United’s dressing room.
The Argentine is open to leaving the French capital at the end of the campaign amid the admiration from United – with a summer appointment at Old Trafford increasingly feasible.
A report from The Independent now adds that Madrid are wary of United’s capability of landing the coach and that makes them minded to make a move sooner rather than later.
That added to reports earlier on Wednesday from ESPN and Diario Sport that Real Madrid ’s hierarchy were angered by their side’s showing with the latter going so far as to say they are now openly considering Ancelotti’s position.
The Italian guided Real Madrid to the Champions League trophy and Copa del Rey in 2014 but was sacked a year later following a trophyless campaign.
Los Blancos currently sit top of La Liga with 16 wins and just two defeats from their opening 24 league matches this campaign and are firmly on course for the league title.
They also landed the Supercopa de Espana title last month but were eliminated at the quarter final stage of the Copa del Rey by Athletic Bilbao.
Attention may already be turning to the return leg of their Champions League tie against PSG on 9 March in the Spanish capital – which may be pivotal for both managers.
The outcome may help influence now only the coach of both sides for next season, but also the long-term vacancy at Old Trafford.
