Milan President Silvio Berlusconi has insisted that Carlo Ancelotti will stay with the Rossoneri despite the club’s early exit from the Champions League.
Il Cavaliere made the claim to journalists soon after the European giants lost 2-0 to Arsenal at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.
“Ancelotti stays,” he underlined. “I am absolutely convinced of that fact, also because of the emotional closeness between us.
“He has brought many victories to Milan. Carlo has the complete trust of the club and will remain with us.”
Taking time out from his campaign trail Berlusconi offered a caveat to go with his endorsement of Carletto.
“I say this despite the respect I have for Marcello Lippi, who I consider to be a great trainer,” he concluded.
Ancelotti’s position had been called into question after another poor season in Serie A.
The Diavolo are well and truly out of the title race, 18 points adrift of rivals Inter, and were dumped out of the Coppa Italia by lowly Catania in January.
The former Roma and Milan midfielder has added two more European Cups to the Rossoneri’s trophy cabinet as a Coach, but hasn’t won the Scudetto for four years.
A lack of domestic success has met with speculation that World Cup winning tactician Lippi could end his 18-month sabbatical and take up the reins at Via Turati.
The Rossoneri didn’t concede or score in London and Tuesday’s defeat to Arsenal at the San Siro could still decide Ancelotti’s long-term fate.
If Carlo were to lose his job, Serie A would also wave goodbye to its longest-serving Coach currently in activity. The Emilian has been at Milan for the last six and a half years.
