It’s not turning out to be the best of seasons for Real Madrid. They’ve been top of La Liga but now find themselves second and trailing Barcelona, with the Catalan giants on course to win the title. They’re also out of the Champions League after disappointing home and away defeats at the hands of Arsenal, and this has triggered rumours surrounding the future of manager Carlo Ancelotti. The pressure is mounting on the Italian, especially after the club acquired the services of Kylian Mbappe in the summer in the hope they’d be dominant domestically and in Europe. This so far hasn’t been the case, and if Los Blancos fail to win La Liga, Ancelotti is likely to depart at the end of the season.
Given what’s happened recently, the dismal Champions League performances and struggle to catch Barcelona in La Liga, punters and bookies alike will have begun to wonder whether a continued poor spell is a sign Ancelotti’s reign is coming to an end. If the worst were to happen, just who might take his place in the hot seat? We take a look at the next Real Madrid manager odds to see who heads up the list of potential replacements. The list of candidates will be long, but there are some names that are of interest, according to BetVictor.
Next Real Madrid Manager Favourites
A name that has shot up the betting and is now available to bet on at 2/1, meaning a £10.00 bet would return £30.00, is former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. The German, who quit Liverpool ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, has been working for the Red Bull group but is reportedly eager to get back into club management sooner than expected. The job Klopp did at Liverpool and his wealth of experience in the Champions League make him an ideal fit. The fact that Klopp would also be available without a huge compensation fee is an added bonus.
Also in the running, according to the odds list, is Bournemouth’s Spanish manager, Andoni Iraola, who has been working wonders at the Vitality Stadium this season. Iraola is 3/1, so a £10.00 stake would return £40.00 if they were to replace Ancelotti this summer. Iraola has taken The Cherries from Premier League strugglers to European football hopefuls. Iraola has La Liga experience, something Klopp lacks, and this makes him an intriguing option. However, while the draw of Real Madrid is irresistible to some, it’s suggested that Iraola is prepared to knock back any advances for his services to stay put at Bournemouth for another season.
Real Legends to Become Next Madrid Manager: Odds
Fourth on the list is a man that Real Madrid fans will be very familiar with in Zinedine Zidane. The Frenchman is 12/1, so a £10.00 bet on Zizou returning to the Bernabeu would return £130.00. While in charge of Real previously, Zidane guided Los Blancos to two La Liga titles and a record three consecutive Champions League trophies. He’s been there and one it where Madrid are concerned. So the question will be whether the club legend would be willing to take up the reigns once again. He’s not managed since leaving the club after his second stint in 2021.
Another club legend thought to be under consideration is Raul, who currently manages Real Madrid Castilla. The 47-year-old is 12/1 like Zidane to be named as Ancelotti’s successor, but there are question marks over his suitability for the role and the situation the club finds itself in. Raul knows the club inside out, but the demand will be for him to hit the ground running and turn Real Madrid into the dominant force at home and in Europe once again.
Real Madrid Betting on Alonso to Leave Leverkusen
The man who has consistently led the betting and is favourite to replace Ancelotti is Xabi Alonso. The former Real midfielder is 5/4, with many seeing his arrival in the summer as an inevitability. After an incredible season in 2023/24 as Leverkusen manager, where he guided the club to the Bundesliga title, many clubs were thought to be interested in acquiring his services, but he decided to stay put. The belief is that the Spaniard has always been happy to wait for the Real Madrid job to become vacant.
For now, it’s simply a case of waiting to see how the rest of the season plays out for Real Madrid. They’re still in the running for the La Liga title, but it’s in Barcelona’s hands. The two teams will also go head to head in the Copa del Rey final, but winning the Copa del Rey will probably not be enough to keep Ancelotti in the job.
You can continue to check out other next manager odds articles to see what else is going on in the crazy world of football management. Discover more BetVictor next football manager odds here.
