Second in the league, runners-up in the cup and a Champions League quarter-final would not be seen as a failure by too many clubs or managers... but for Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti, things are a bit different.
Real Madrid have hoisted two La Liga and Champions League trophies apiece since the Italian returned to the club in 2021, only to fall short of their usual standards this season - leading Ancelotti to consider his options elsewhere.
There may still time for Los Blancos to overhaul Barcelona's four-point lead at the top of the league in their remaining five games - the sides go head-to-head on May 11 - but Real lost Saturday's Copa del Rey final to their fierce rivals and were dumped out of the Champions League by Arsenal.
Carlo Ancelotti expected to leave Real Madrid for Brazil job
Ancelotti, who is ranked at no.2 in FourFourTwo's list of the best managers in the world right now, is widely reported to be on the verge of leaving the Bernabeu to become manager of the Brazil national team.
That job has been vacant for the past month, with Dorival Junior getting the chop following a 4-1 defeat to Argentina in March's World Cup qualifiers - just 14 months after taking the job.
The Mirror report that the Brazilian FA have tasked businessman Diego Fernandes with securing Ancelotti's signature, and that he was present at Saturday's Copa del Rey final.
This is the second time Ancelotti has been linked with the Brazil job: he was reportedly the preferred candidate when Dorival was appointed last year, only to turn down the opportunity.
Brazil are desperate to get back to their former glories after years of failing to live up to their own celebrated standards.
Their best performance at a World Cup since winning it in 2002 was reaching the semi-finals in 2014; they have otherwise been eliminated at the quarter-finals each time.
Though they are now on track again, Sele�o have stuttered through qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, at one point looking like they were at risk of failing to make it to next year's summer tournament at all.
It's only natural, then, that they would turn to Ancelotti, who has particularly excelled in high-pressure cup competitions over his decorated career. His five Champions League wins (two with AC Milan, three with Real Madrid) is an all-time record.
Bayer Leverkusen boss and former Real favourite Xabi Alonso is being touted as a potential successor to Ancelotti ahead of this summer's Club World Cup.
