In-depth: What next for Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid?

On Monday it was announced that Carlo Ancelotti had been relieved of his duties as Real Madrid boss having failed to land a single item of silverware in a hugely disappointing season for the Spanish giants.

The Italian guided Real to an extra-time Champions League final victory over city rivals Atletico last May which earned them a record-extending 'La Decima', but that incredible feat was still not enough to earn him more time in the Spanish capital.

The 55-year-old Italian has been shown the door after Real finished runners-up to Barcelona in La Liga and lost to Juventus in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Club president Florentino Perez held a meeting with Ancelotti on Monday afternoon where he told the former AC Milan, Chelsea and Paris St Germain boss, who had one year left on his contract, that his services were no longer required.

"I would like to inform you that the board has taken the decision to relieve Carlo Ancelotti of his post as Real Madrid coach.It was a very difficult decision to make; the demands at this club are the utmost because Madrid always wants to win silverware. The affection that the players and the fans have for Carlo is the same as the affection I myself have for him. What did Ancelotti do wrong? I don't know. The demands here at Real Madrid are very high."

“I must have a back operation because of spinal stenosis that for some time creates a tingle in my hands. I don’t know how long the period of recovery will be,” he added. “I can assure you that I’ve had plenty of offers from Italy, England, Germany. I’m sure they will not be lacking from here until next year.”

Andy West (BBC): "In one sense, Ancelotti's departure was inevitable because all-powerful Real president Florentino Perez appears to have taken the decision a while ago. Even in mid-March, Perez would only assert that Ancelotti would be in charge for the next few 'days and weeks', and from that moment it seemed certain the Italian's fate rested on his team's ability to win either the Champions League or La Liga. With both those trophies escaping Real's grasp, Monday's news is no surprise. But the stubborn Perez has been forced to withstand an unexpectedly strong degree of public and private pressure because Ancelotti remained highly popular to the end.”

Graham Hunter (ESPN): “In essence, to sack Ancelotti is to punish him for not giving Florentino what he craves: domination over Barcelona. Yet sacking Ancelotti also perpetuates the idea that Florentino really is, as Emilio Butragueno baptised him, a "ser superior" ("superior being"). It perpetuates the idea that the man who causes most of Madrid's problems (bar Messi), i.e. Florentino, is also the man who can solve them. Sacking Ancelotti and simply appointing a successor is to tie Real Madrid to the work of that new man (plus his assistants) and to ignore what the majority of objective, well-informed and modern critics have been saying for over a decade. Madrid need to look around. Right now, in Spain, there's a great deal of cruel humour at Madrid's expense, that they've won only one league title in the past seven attempts. In Florentino's 12-year reign, they've amassed two Champions League titles, three Ligas and two Copas. They are being mocked for that too. Or he is, anyway.”

Despite guiding Los Blancos to their finest ever achievement last May, it was inevitable that Ancelotti would leave Real Madrid after a trophy-less season. You simply cannot fail to land an item of silverware at the Bernabeu and get away with it. And to compound matters, not only did Real Madrid surrender their Champions League trophy – something of which Barcelona look likely to win – but they also surrendered the devotion of the footballing public. After one dormant season, Barcelona have returned, all guns blazing, with the possibility of winning a treble and have also won back the hearts of those that love the beautiful game.

Where next for Ancelotti? Well, the Italian insists he will need to take some time out after surgery, but he has been touted for a possible return to the Premier League, with Liverpool and Manchester City possible destinations. Whether he would put off major surgery to replace Brendan Rodgers at a club which will be playing in European football’s inferior club competition remains to be seen, particularly when the Reds were so far from challenging for the Premier League this season. A return to England to take over City is more of an appealing move for the Italian, though.

And for Real Madrid? Rafael Benitez is widely expected to leave Napoli and take over the reins at the Bernabeu. The Spaniard started his managerial career with Real Madrid’s Under-19 team and would surely relish a return. And his record in Spain is something to be admired, having guided Valencia to the league title in 2002 and then a league and UEFA Cup double in 2004.

But Benitez’s record of late does not suggest that he can go into Real Madrid and succeed with the unenviable task of wrestling some of the power back from Barcelona, let alone dominating in Europe. Benitez may have won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana during his two years in Italy, but this is a man who failed to guide Napoli past Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk over two legs in the Europa League semi-final. Napoli also finished fourth in Serie A – some 23 points adrift of winners Juventus. In truth, it was an incredibly disappointing season for the Naples-based club, and one that probably warranted the sacking of Benitez, yet, according to reports, Real seemingly believe he is the man to lead them forward. Baffling.