Carlo Ancelotti left Real Madrid at the end of May. He left as one of the best managers of all time, and he will surely be remembered fondly by the Madrid faithful.
However, the manner of his departure was unfortunate to say the least.
Don Carlo left the club after one of their darkest periods in recent times. It might seem like a third-world problem to complain over a lack of silverware, and admittedly it is, but this is a standard that Real Madrid cannot accept.
So, Carlo Ancelotti left packing, but he's not done there. In his new job, he just made a ruthless call which may send a Real Madrid superstar packing, too.
Carlo Ancelotti just influenced Rodrygo's Real Madrid decision
Carlo Ancelotti left Rodrygo out of the recent Brazil squad for the upcoming international break. In a recent conference, Ancelotti explained this omission as being driven by a lack of playing time for Rodrygo.
In his own words, Ancelotti said: “I have a lot of love for Rodrygo. Yesterday he played very well for Real Madrid. It was his first game after a long time, so he still has time to recover and return to the national team. A player who plays in the NT must be 100% physically. It’s important.”
Fair enough, right? Real Madrid fans can hardly point the finger at Ancelotti and blame him for not playing Rodrygo. He owes Real Madrid no favors anymore, and he needs to be unbiased towards the other Brazil players.
However, the reaction from Rodrygo might not be what Real Madrid fans want.
According to Graeme Bailey, Rodrygo missing out on international duty could have implications on where he sees his future. TBR claimed that this, combined with being taken off after one hour against Real Oviedo, left Rodrygo feeling 'unhappy.'
Now, Rodrygo is predicted to stir some late drama in the transfer window. He's upset by his lack of minutes, and rumor has it, he now wants to leave Real Madrid in the hunt for game time elsewhere.
Arsenal and Man City are reported to be the interested clubs. Within the report, it is stated that Rodrygo leans towards playing in the Premier League, and the snub from Carlo Ancelotti has pushed him further in that preference.
From Real Madrid's perspective, they are unlikely to prevent any move from happening. If the right bid comes in, they will accept it. They don't want to house a player who doesn't want to be housed.
So, has Carlo Ancelotti done it? Was he the final straw in Xabi Alonso losing one of his key players? As always with transfer stories, only time will tell.