Barcelona will look to pick themselves up from Wednesday's draining Uefa Champions League exit to Inter Milan by taking a giant step towards securing their 28th La Liga crown this weekend.
The Catalans are four points clear of Real Madrid with four matches left heading into Sunday's clash at the Olympic Stadium, but go into the game having been beaten 7-6 over two thrilling semi-final legs by the Italians.
Real Madrid know a fourth defeat this season by their bitter rivals will all but end their title hopes and mean Carlo Ancelotti will be denied a trophy in his final season as coach.
While no official announcement has been made, the 65-year-old Italian is set to leave at the end of the campaign with former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso poised to take over.
Alonso has revealed that he will be leaving his current role as manager of Bayer Leverkusen after the final two games of the Bundesliga season.
“I read that Xabi is leaving Bayer Leverkusen, where he did a fantastic job,” Ancelotti said on Friday ahead of the Clasico. “He has all the doors open because he has shown that he is one of the best coaches in the world.”
The 43-year-old's spell in Germany has been a hugely successful one having led the club to a historic double last season when Leverkusen won their first ever Bundesliga title, breaking Bayern Munich's iron grip on the Meisterschale.
They finished the league campaign unbeaten in 34 games and came close to a remarkable treble but were beaten by Atlanta in the Europa League final – their first loss in 51 matches.
Alonso has been unable to repeat that success this season though as Vincent Kompany's Bayern regained the title last weekend. Bayern also crushed Leverkusen 5-0 on aggregate in the Champions League last-16.
Alonso – who took over Leverkusen in October 2022 with the club second from bottom after eight games – was linked with both the Bayern and Liverpool jobs last summer but opted to stay put.
But the Spaniard has now decided the time is right to move on, making the announcement ahead of his final home game against Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
“This week the club and I have agreed that these two games are going to be my last as Bayer Leverkusen coach,” Alonso said on Friday.
“It is not a moment to talk too much about the future because we want to have a proper farewell on Sunday here for some players, for myself, and it is the right moment to announce it.
“We have to enjoy this moment with mixed emotions. It is emotional, I spoke this morning with the players, the staff, so many people who have helped me during an unbelievable, fantastic three years.
“Now is a moment to share it with the fans in this stadium where I have lived great emotions and become what I am right now.
“Football is about the moment and I think is a good moment for everyone. Let's enjoy it … We can be happy and proud of what we have achieved always with the good feeling we're taking the club in the right direction.”
Alonso's contract does not end until 2026 but he revealed that the club had agreed to terminate the deal at the end of the season.
“The second season was a historic season, it was a dream season with great nights, great games and we made history,” he said.
“This season has been the most challenging one. When we had to fulfil expectations, when we were playing in the Champions League, where we were playing to try to give our best and when we don't make a final we are disappointed.”
When asked about what his next move will be, he added: “It's not the moment to talk too much about the future because now that we know, we want to have a proper farewell on Sunday here for some players, for myself.”
Ancelotti, meanwhile, is reported to have reached an agreement with Real over the terms of his exit.
Real were last month knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal at the quarter-final stage and lost to Barca in the Copa del Rey final - defeats which have hastened Ancelotti's departure.
His second spell at Madrid has seen the veteran coach win the Fifa Club World Cup, Uefa Super Cup, two La Liga titles, as well as a Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup.
And now Ancelotti will be hoping his reign does not end with a whimper and that he can stay in the running for what would be a 16th major trophy over two spells in the Spanish capital.
“The honeymoon with this club never ends, it continues forever,” added Ancelotti on Friday, when he again refused to comment on his future.
“I think that Real Madrid, like Milan before, are the teams that stay with me given the time I have spent here.
"At the beginning there is passion, and when that fades other feelings emerge, a sense of tender care. My honeymoon with Real Madrid will last for as long as I live.”
The former AC Milan, Chelsea and Bayern Munich manager has been strongly linked with taking over as the Brazil national team manager and could be in charge before the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June.
