"It could be that the club decide to change (coach), it could be this year -- or the next when my contract expires, there's no problem," said Ancelotti.
Carlo Ancelotti during the UEFA Champions League, Quarter-finals, 2nd leg football match between Real Madrid CF and Arsenal FC at Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid, Spain on Wednesday Photo: Oscar J Barroso / Spain DPPI / DPPI via AFP
Carlo Ancelotti accepted Real Madrid may look to replace him as coach after Arsenal knocked out the Champions League holders in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The Italian oversaw a 2-1 home defeat with the Gunners progressing 5-1 on aggregate to the semi-finals.
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Real Madrid suffered their 12th defeat of the season, by contrast to just two across the whole of the previous campaign.
“It could be that the club decide to change (coach), it could be this year — or the next when my contract expires, there’s no problem,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“The day that I leave here I can only thank the club.
“It could be tomorrow, in 10 days, in a month or a year, but all I can do will be to thank the club — if my contract’s up or not, I don’t care.”
Madrid have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who played for Los Blancos, and former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Ancelotti said his team were still in the fight for La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup this summer.
“The team gave everything in terms of attitude, but we weren’t able to do it,” said Ancelotti after the Arsenal defeat.
“To be honest Arsenal defended very well, we found it hard to find space, in terms of intensity we were better but it was not enough.”
Arsenal staved off Champions League holders Real Madrid’s superstars and rich history of unlikely comebacks to snatch a 2-1 victory on Wednesday and reach the semi-finals with a superb 5-1 aggregate triumph.
The Gunners’ 3-0 quarter-final first leg triumph last week gave them a vital cushion in the Spanish capital as they made the final four for the first time since 2009, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
Bukayo Saka, who missed a first-half penalty, sent Arsenal ahead and although Vinicius Junior levelled the 15-time winners were never close to making up the deficit.
Gabriel Martinelli rubbed salt in their wounds with a stoppage-time winner for Arsenal, who are yet to lift the Champions League trophy.
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