'Don't need to spend anything at all' - Real Madrid legend picks out his ideal replacement for Carlo Ancelotti as he calls for 'out of the ordinary' manager to get top job at Bernabeu

Fernando Morientes described Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonson as the “perfect fit” to succeed Carlo Ancelotti, should the Italian’s decorated second spell with Los Blancos come to an end. The pressure was piled on the former Everton boss last week as they slumped to a 3-0 first-leg loss to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Courtesy of bet365's UEFA Champions League Coverage, Morientes said of the options to replace Ancelotti: "I have enormous affection for Xabi Alonso because he's been my teammate and a personal friend. I have enormous respect for him as a coach because I think what he's achieved isn't easy, and the steps he's taken have been very accurate and doing exactly what you should do.

"First, start with the youth teams, develop, take a little further step forward, and then move on to professional football. He's accomplished all those steps and done very well.

"What he did last year at Leverkusen isn't easy. He’s an option for Real Madrid. For me, the option I like most, obviously, is at home. You don't need to spend anything at all. You're more than ready. He's a leader and he’s out of the ordinary. I think he'd be a perfect fit on the Real Madrid bench."

Ancelotti has a contract with Madrid until June 2026, meaning he is scheduled to have at least one more season in the job. However, the humbling at Arsenal has re-ignited talk about his future, with the Italian having previously been linked with the vacant Brazil role. 

Alonso, meanwhile, extended his contract until the end of next season after leading Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign, winning the title while also claiming the DFB-Pokal crown and reaching the final of the Europa League. Trailing Bayern Munich by six points in the Bundesliga, this season has been less impressive, but, to this point, there has been no suggestion of him looking to leave the club.

Whether Madrid decide to move on from Ancelotti and start a new era likely hinges on whether they can pull off an incredible comeback in the second leg with Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. Under Ancelotti in recent years, Madrid have become renowned for pulling off unlikely Champions League victories and it would be no surprise to see them do the same again. Should they fail, then all eyes will be on Florentino Perez to see if he and the board decide it is time for a change.