'Plan A' is Carlo Ancelotti! - Brazil FA president confirms Selecao want to hire Real Madrid manager

• Brazil FA president prefers Ancelotti for managerial role
• Ancelotti's Real Madrid contract expires in 2024
• Italian has reiterated his desire to run down his contract

WHAT HAPPENED? Rodrigues has publicly confirmed the rumours linking Ancelotti with the Brazil men's national team with a public statement that could move the veteran manager closer to the Selecao.

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WHAT THEY SAID: In an interview with beIN Sports, Rodrigues acknowledged the rumours and claimed that Ancelotti is the favourite choice to succeed former coach Tite as Brazil boss.

“I’m not saying Ancelotti has an offer from us, but we are checking if he wants to come,” Rodrigues said. “We’ve got a plan A and I say it for the first time honestly. There is no point in hiding this, Ancelotti is our favourite.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ancelotti has time and again reiterated his desire to respect his Real Madrid contract, which expires in 2024.

“There is a nice saying that fits this case: talk is cheap. And it is so, I have a contract until June 30, 2024 and I would like to respect it,” Ancelotti firmly stated in an interview with Radio Anch’io Sport on Radiouno Rai.

AND WHAT'S MORE: Los Blancos play the Copa del Rey final against Osasuna on Saturday night, while they have reached a fourth successive Champions League semi-final under Ancelotti (2013-14, 2014-15, 2021-22, 2022-23), where they'll face Manchester City in a rematch of last year's semi-final.

However, they have all but lost the league, and failure to win the Champions League, too, could end in Ancelotti getting sacked, which could open the doors for the Brazil job.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? Real Madrid's next two games are season-defining. They take on Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, May 6, before welcoming Manchester City to the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, May 9, in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.