Cristiano Ronaldo has urged Real Madrid not to sack manager Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian has been widely predicted to leave the Bernabeu at the end of the season after the club came up short in both La Liga and the Uefa Champions League.
Reports have named Napoli manager Rafa Benitez as his likely replacement.
But Ronaldo, who scored his eighth hat-trick of the season as Madrid crushed Getafe 7-3 on Saturday, said he wanted to continue working with Ancelotti.
Madrid’s star man posted a picture of the pair together on Twitter, accompanied by the message: “Great coach and amazing person. Hope we work together next season.”
Real Madrid coach Ancelotti said he will take a year out if he is dismissed by the Spanish giants after failing to win a major trophy this season.
Reports in the Spanish press have claimed that the Italian is on the way out just a year after delivering Madrid’s 10th European Cup.
“My future is clear in my head,” Ancelotti said.
“I will continue here at Real Madrid or I will stop for a year.”
And the former AC Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager expects a decision on his future to be taken early next week.
“I think we are going to meet next week to clarify the future of the club,” he said.
“This is football, especially at a club like Real Madrid it is normal to be questioned after part of the season didn’t go well.
“It is part of my job. Last season we won the 10th European Cup and this year is a different story. I won’t forget what we did last year or what happened this year. You have to consider everything.
“We have to evaluate calmly what happened this season and try to improve for next season.
“I want to stay. If the club says I can’t continue I won’t be happy but these things have happened many times in football, it is not the first time. It happened to me at Juventus, Chelsea, at PSG I asked to leave.
“I don’t think it will be the last time because I have desire to coach. It could be that I get sacked another time.
“I continue to have confidence in my ability because I like to coach.”
In Saturday’s victory, 16-year-old Norwegian Martin Odegaard also became the youngest player to represent Real Madrid in La Liga when he made his debut as a second-half substitute against Getafe.
Odegaard replaced Ronaldo after the Portuguese had already notched his 31st hat-trick for the club with Madrid leading 5-3.
Madrid beat off stiff competition from around Europe to land Odegaard in January, but he has spent the majority of the five months since playing with Real’s reserve team Castilla under the orders of French legend Zinedine Zidane.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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