Real Madrid stopper Thibaut Courtois appeared to openly criticise legendary boss Carlo Ancelotti after his side crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal, with Sky Sports reporting the date in which the Italian is expected to be sacked.
After being trounced in north London last week, the reigning European champions were looking for another miracle comeback in the competition when the Gunners visited The Bernabeu on Wednesday evening.
However, Mikel Arteta’s men pulled off a famous 2-1 win in Madrid to rout the holders 5-1 on aggregate and book their place in the semi-finals for the first time since the 2008/09 season.
The embarrassing result led to the Spanish media going to town on Real, with Mundo Deportivo suggesting Ancelotti’s side were “humiliated”, while AS described the defeat as a “debacle in London”.
And Courtois felt the LaLiga giants did not put themselves in the best possible position to turn things around against the Gunners, courtesy of Ancelotti’s tactics for the game.
Speaking to the media on the back of the full-time whistle Courtois called into question the tactical approach put into action, stating: “Instead of putting in a lot of crosses, maybe we needed to play some team football.
“We put in a lot of crosses, but there’s no Joselu.
“We need to start playing as a team, not as individuals. We need to start being honest with ourselves.”
And now Sky Sports have claimed Ancelotti’s tenure could come to a close after the Copa del Rey final on April 26.
It is understood the 65-year-old will remain in place until the final against Barcelona in Seville but is expected to depart the club after that game. He is currently the favourite to be named the new Brazil coach.
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Meanwhile, veteran Real defender Dani Carvajal may be facing a suspension after allegedly becoming involved in an incident with Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka during the game at The Bernabeu, as reported by AS.
The confrontation between the 33-year-old and Saka took place during half-time, with Carvajal seen pointing his finger at the Gunners star and grabbing him by the back of the neck in the tunnel area leading to the changing rooms.
The injured Spanish full-back was not part of the matchday squad but that did not prevent him from entering a restricted zone reserved for team staff and players listed for the match.
Why is Carvajal fighting Saka? Madrid is the worst club in all of football.
— MessiMania (@M10Update) April 16, 2025
To that end, AS states that Carvajal could be hit with a four-match ban under UEFA disciplinary regulations. Article 15.a.viii states that any player who participates in a match when not eligible can receive a one-game suspension “if such suspension is deemed appropriate”.
A well-known precedent is Xabi Alonso’s one-match ban after running onto the pitch from the stands during the 2014 Champions League final despite being suspended.
Additionally, Carvajal could face further punishment under Article 15.e, which provides for a three-match suspension, or a set period, for “assaulting another player or any other person present at the match.”
However, for UEFA to take disciplinary action, the incident must have been included in the match delegate’s official report.
At this stage, it remains to be seen if that occurred but there is the distinct possibility Carvajal could be facing a significant suspension ahead of next season’s European campaign.
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