Carlo Ancelotti in trouble and at risk of the sack as Real Madrid problems mount after AC Milan defeat
WATCH NOW: Sports round-up as Real Madrid lose to AC Milan
When it comes to the best managers of all time, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is right up there with the very best.
But the Italian's position at the Bernabeu is starting to look increasingly vulnerable, particularly after Tuesday night's chastening 3-1 defeat to AC Milan.
No team has won the Champions League more than Real, who lifted the famous trophy for a record-extending 15th time just months ago.
Yet their form in Europe has been poor, with Tuesday's shock defeat to Milan seeing them fall to 17th in the league table.
Real Madrid news: Carlo Ancelotti's job at the Bernabeu is in trouble following their 3-1 Champions League defeat to AC Milan
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They were second best against Milan, with the Serie A giants securing victory following goals from Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders.
Vinicius Jr, who was recently left livid after missing out on the Ballon d'Or, netted Real's only goal from the penalty spot.
Real have now lost their last two matches, with the defeat to Milan coming less than two weeks after a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in El Clasico.
They are already nine points behind their fierce rivals, albeit having played one game less.
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To make matters worse, several of Real's best players look like shadows of their usual selves.
Jude Bellingham has gone nearly six months without finding the net. The England international, for all his quality, has regressed after a stunning first year in white.
Then there's Kylian Mbappe. When he joined the club from PSG back in the summer, everybody expected him to take the Bernabeu by storm.
But that hasn't been the case. While the 25-year-old has bagged eight goals from 15 matches across all competitions, he's yet to live up to expectations throughout his time at the club so far.
When Real recruited Aurélien Tchouaméni two years ago, many felt they were onto a winner.
Yet the France international was dire against Milan and, upon being substituted, was booed by large sections of the Bernabeu crowd.
Another player who came off was Federico Valverde. Though the Uruguay international has been key to their success in recent years, his form has also alarmingly nosedived.
Valverde's wife, Mina Bonino, fumed at Ancelotti's decision to withdraw her husband. After saying she'd be taken to jail if she said what she really thought, she then claimed that she'd been hacked.
Real Madrid news: Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham struggled against AC Milan on Tuesday night
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Real are a club with lofty ambitions. The loftiest of the lot.
And that means Ancelotti's position at the club is now uncertain. Club president Florentino Perez, after all, is hardly known for his patience.
Perez previously sacked Ancelotti in 2015, just a year after the Italian had ended the club's 12-year wait for a Champions League triumph.
Links to Xabi Alonso have grown in strength over the past few days. There's a sense the Spaniard, who previously played for the club, would jump at the chance to take charge.
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Real Madrid news: Carlo Ancelotti could lose his job with problems mounting after AC Milan defeat
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Ancelotti must turn things around quick in order to keep his job.
Real, rarely, are in trouble. They are now, however, and their season risks imploding just four months in.
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