AS Roma, Ancelotti and the Big Sponsors – Could This Finally Be the Right Time?

In his illustrious 30-year managerial career, Carlo Ancelotti has never hidden his affection for AS Roma - the club where he made his name as a player and one that holds a special place in his heart.

"Would I like to coach Roma? Yes, very much. It's a team I love in a city I love," he said around ten years ago, between his first spell at Real Madrid and his move to Bayern Munich.

Five years later, while managing Everton, Ancelotti doubled down:
"If I said I’d like to coach Roma, maybe my friend Fonseca would take it the wrong way even though I know he’s too smart for that."

At the time, it seemed Ancelotti was entering the twilight of his career. But what followed was far from a farewell tour. A second Real Madrid chapter emerged and became the stuff of legend: eleven trophies, including two Champions League titles, the most recent lifted at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund.

Real Madrid Satisfaction? Not Quite

For most clubs, two Champions League wins and two deep runs (semi-finals and quarter-finals) in four seasons would be more than enough to cement a manager’s legacy. But Real Madrid is no ordinary club, and rumours in Spain suggest Florentino Pérez is already exploring new options — notably, Jürgen Klopp.

Ancelotti, under contract until 2025, is now waiting in the wings as Real Madrid ponder a change. Having turned down numerous offers over the years, including from national teams, his future is once again up in the air.

The AS Roma Dream

Amid this uncertainty, the dream of Ancelotti at Roma has been reignited in Italy. While Madrid debates his successor, Rome is calling - and this time, perhaps more seriously than ever.

Legendary defender Aldair (436 appearances for the Giallorossi) recently declared: "I’d love to see Ancelotti on the Roma bench."

Then came Francesco Totti, the most iconic Roman of them all: "I hope Ancelotti comes to Roma as soon as possible. He’s always said he wanted to coach here, and I think the time is right."

Can It Really Happen?

Bringing Ancelotti to Roma is still a long shot. It would require not only a managerial vacancy but also a commitment from ownership - possibly backed by new major sponsorship deals - to support a coach of his stature and ambition.

But one thing is certain: the city would welcome him like royalty, just as it did with José Mourinho. If this really is the final chapter of Ancelotti’s journey at the very top of club football, there would be poetic symmetry in finishing where his playing legend began - at the Stadio Olimpico, this time not with boots, but with a whistle and vision for the future.

Could this be the moment? As ever with AS Roma, hope springs eternal.