Carlo Ancelotti has insisted he will stay at Real Madrid for the remaining year of his contract, despite being linked with a return to Chelsea.
The Italian had a successful two year spell at Stamford Bridge, leading the Blues to their first ever domestic double in his first season in charge. They won both the Premier League and FA Cup in 2010, but he was dismissed after they finished second the following campaign.
He has since gone on to win league titles at Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Madrid, also lifting the Champions League twice with the latter. But speculation is growing around his future amid a disappointing campaign in LaLiga for Los Blancos.
Ancelotti is preparing Madrid to face Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, with the Blues being led by interim boss Frank Lampard before a permanent appointment is made in the summer.
Former boss Ancelotti is one of the men who have been tipped to take over from Lampard. But, the Madrid chief has insisted he wishes to remain in Spain, while son and assistant coach Davide takes hi coaching badges.
“We believe that we can win it, knowing that each game is a difficult, tough and unpredictable obstacle. The Champions is like that. All eight teams want to reach the final in Istanbul," he told Rai Radio 1.
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“The future of Carlo Ancelotti? There is a nice saying that goes well for the case: the wind takes the chatter. And that's right, I have a contract until June 30, 2024 and I would like to respect it.
"He [Davide} is finishing the UEFA Pro coaching course in Wales, he will finish in May, then he will be able to coach any type of team. It won't be Basel, because they feel good here and we want to stay here. The day that he will want to start on his account, I think he will do it and also well."
Former Blues star Joe Cole, who won the double with Ancelotti in 2010, has pushed his old manager's candidacy for the Chelsea job. The former midfielder believes the Italian should be at the top of the shortlist to take over in the summer.
"There’s one man out there who is very active at the moment and that’s Carlo Ancelotti. If I was the owner of a football club and there was one appointment you could make to steady a ship and win you trophies he’s the first name," he told BT Sport.
"The last time Chelsea won the league they finished tenth the season before. The club has got a track record of going through these spells and then it all comes together.
"It was chaos (at Chelsea at times), you knew a second or third bad result in a row you knew any day now there’s going to be a new manager looking at you with new ideas, so you are constantly as a player never comfortable."
