With José Mourinho reportedly confirming that he will leave his post at Real Madrid at the end of the season, there has been heavy speculation regarding who will replace The Special One. Here, I will take a look at 5 candidates who I believe have a chance to take over Los Blancos.
André Villas-Boas: After an unsuccessful spell at Chelsea, the Portuguese manager took over at Tottenham from Harry Redknapp and has guided Spurs to 3rd place in the Premier League, and a great run in the Europa League. It has been said that Villas-Boas is a wanted man in Madrid, leading many to believe that he will be Mourinho’s successor to the job.
Carlo Ancelotti: The Italian has a proven record in managing and it is not hard to see why Real Madrid would want him in charge. Wherever Ancelotti goes, he can bring the best out of his players – everybody wants to impress him. Could he bring the best out of a Madrid side that seem to be underperforming with Mourinho? Maybe next season we will see.
Rafa Benítez – Chelsea’s interim manager has confirmed he will leave in May (unless Roman Abramovich gives him the sack before then). Led Valencia to 2 La Liga titles and the UEFA Cup before winning the Champions League with Liverpool. Spanish football seems to be where Benítez is tactically suited to, so he may return to his home country for a new challenge.
Jürgen Klopp – The appointment of Klopp would interest many Madridistas. No one can question his success – Klopp led Borussia Dortmund to their first ever domestic double in 2011/12, while also setting a new Bundesliga points record (81 points in total) and setting a new league record for most games unbeaten (28 games).
Raúl González – Real’s record goalscorer, the Spaniard will forever hold a place in the heart of every Real Madrid fan. Although Raúl has not retired from his glorious playing career yet – still under contract with Qatari side Al Sadd – Mourinho’s departure could be what he is waiting for. He loves Real and I could be completely wrong, but I feel Raúl is a very likely candidate for the job. He knows the style of the club, how they are run and has worked under successful managers. It would take courage from the board, but I believe this could happen.
There you have it. A list of 5 managers I feel are the most likely to take the job at Real Madrid. Personally, I think that Ancelotti will take over. Who knows? Anything can happen.
