6 top coaches Real Madrid have lined up to replace Carlo Ancelotti

Carlo Ancelotti's tenure with Real Madrid could end sooner than later following their 1-0 defeat at home to Barcelona on Thursday night.

Los Blancos hosted their arch-rivals in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal at the Santiago Bernabeu and were hoping to capitalise on the Catalan's two consecutive defeats prior to the game.

After Barcelona's Europa League elimination by Manchester United last week and a first ever loss against La Liga minnows Almeria, Madrid fans smelled blood, but left bitterly frustrated.

Eder Militao deflected a rebound into his own goal after 26 minutes to split the teams and hand Barcelona the edge ahead of the second leg on April 5 at Camp Nou.

Madrid's defeat to Barcelona will come as a major disappointment to the Spanish giants considering the fact that Barcelona entered the game without the injured trio of key players -- top scorer Robert Lewandowski, key midfielder Pedri and explosive winger Ousmane Dembele.

To make it worse, the La Liga champions failed to muster a single shot on target in the game -- the first time since 2010.

Should such a disappointing performance repeat itself again this season, Ancelotti's job could come under serious threat at Real Madrid.

So, if Carlo Ancelotti goes, who is likely to replace him? The likes of Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel are thought to be on Florentino Perez's shortlist, alongside a number of Europe's other top class coaches.

Raul Gonzalez

Real Madrid equals unwanted 13 year old record in Copa del Rey loss to Barcelona

Football

It is a question of 'when' not 'if' Raul becomes first-team coach at Real Madrid. The legendary forward a coach at the team-B since 2018 and is currently sitting second in the league with Castilla. It was Raul led Real Madrid to win first ever UEFA Youth League in 2020.

Raul has recently rejected an offer from the Premier League and German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt in hope that Real Madrid will consider him for the first-team job eventually.

Thomas Tuchel

The German tactician could be a good option to replace Ancelotti at Madrid. The 49-year-old is widely considered as one of the best managers in Europe currently, winning trophies in England and France.

The former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss is a versatile tactician who can deploy a counter-attacking football. At PSG, his team played a fluid, attacking style of football while his set-up at Chelsea was more defensive.

Tuchel has made a mark in his coaching career, winning two league titles with Paris Saint-Germain and two French Super Cups in 2019 and 2020.

He also masterminded Chelsea's second UEFA Champions League title in 2021. Not to forget, he also won the Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup with the Blues.

Zinedine Zidane

You can never mention the best managers in Real Madrid's history without mentioning Zinedine Zidane's name. There were a lot of doubts during his first stint at the Santiago Bernabeu hot seat when he replaced Rafael Benitez in the middle of the 2015/16 season.

But the Frenchman brought instant success with him, winning the Champions League that year, and going on two win the next two titles in Europe's biggest competition.

It was a historic run, as he also won the La Liga title and several other pieces of silverware in two-and-a-half seasons.

After leaving Madrid in 2018, Zidane made a sensational return two years later. He won the 2020 La Liga on his return to the club.

Mauricio Pochettino

The Argentine has been linked with Madrid on multiple occasions in the past but the club might be wary after Pochettino's failed stint at Paris Saint-Germain.

Jurgen Klopp

The Liverpool manager has no intention of leaving Liverpool before his contract ends in 2024 but it's been reported that the German is open to joining Real Madrid.

According to Spanish portal Defensa Central, Klopp is one of Perez's favourites to succeed Ancelotti, as he fancies his attacking style of coaching.

The 54-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best coaches of all time, having enjoyed some phenomenal achievements in his career. He was instrumental in guiding FSV Mainz 05 to promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club’s history.

He also led Borussia Dortmund to pip German heavyweights Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title on two occasions.

Klopp truly cemented his status as an elite football coach when he joined Liverpool in 2015. He guided the Reds to Champions League glory in 2019 and the Premier League title in 2020.

Erik ten Haag

He guided Manchester United to win the Carabao Cup last weekend. Prior to that, ten Haag ushered the Red Devils to deservedly oust Barcelona from the Europa League.

In the Premier League this season, his team has defeated Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool.

They are still fighting on four fronts, and Cristiano Ronaldo has been moved on. This is a team looking like Ten Hag has stamped his mark on it.

The Dutchman is also considered an aggressive manager who is suited to the style of play and the calibre of players at Real Madrid if given the chance.