'I'm here for the long haul'

At the moment I don't see me having an expiry date, I'd love to stay here for many years to come, says Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, who'll be completing a landmark on Tuesday.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday that he has no plans to retire as he prepares for his 300th match in charge in a LaLiga clash against Alaves.

Unbeaten in the league for a year and after a remarkable 2023-24 season in which he guided Real to a Champions League and LaLiga double, the 65-year-old Italian said that he would love to stay in the Spanish capital for many years to come.

"I'm not thinking about my future whatsoever, I love this job," Ancelotti, who is in his second spell as Real manager, told a press conference ahead of Tuesday's game.

"I have been lucky enough to coach great clubs, tomorrow it will be my 300th game at the best club in the world, it is something special to be in this dugout, to do it 300 times is not quite a miracle, but it is almost a miracle.

"Sure, you can't compare my tiredness with that of the players. There is pressure, responsibility, but I love it. At the moment I don't see me having an expiry date, I'd love to stay here for many years to come."

Real's only two losses last season were both to local rivals Atletico Madrid, a 3-1 defeat in LaLiga on September 24 2023 and a 4-2 extra-time loss in the Copa del Rey last 16 in January.

Ancelotti's side have now gone 38 league games unbeaten, closing in on the record held by Barcelona, who went 43 games without defeat between April 2017 and May 2018.

The coach praised the resilience of his players who have repeatedly found ways to salvage a result despite sometimes having key members of the squad injured.

"Some records are about winning and others are about not losing. We are coming from a very long run and that means a lot of success, because draws often help you a lot," Ancelotti said.

"I think that in football, if you can't win, at least don't lose. Sometimes a draw gives a better feeling than a defeat. Defeat gives options to improve, that's true. But the success of the Champions League in the past lies in our solidity, in the way we compete.

"It has taken us a while to find this solidity at the start of the season, but we are going to find it, because the mental attitude of the players is very good."

Real Madrid are second in the LaLiga standings on 14 points, four behind leaders Barcelona.