Carlo Ancelotti returns to Real Madrid for second spell as manager

Ancelotti will return to the Santiago Bernabeu for a second spell in charge after he first joined in 2013 before being sacked in 2015.

Carlo Ancelotti had joined Premier League club Everton in 2019.

Real Madrid on Tuesday confirmed the signing of Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti as its new head coach to replace Zinadine Zidane for the next three seasons.

"Real Madrid C. F. announces that Carlo Ancelotti will be the club's first-team coach for the next three seasons. The ceremonial signing of the contract will take place tomorrow (June 2) with club president Florentino Perez at Real Madrid City, after which Ancelotti will address the media from 6pm (CET) in an online press conference," said a statement on the club's website.

Ancelotti took over the reigns at Everton in December 2019 and led the club to a 10th place finish in his first full season in charge.

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The Italian will return to the Santiago Bernabeu for a second spell in charge after he first joined in 2013 before being sacked in 2015. The31-year-old led the club to its 10th Champions League crown, a Copa del Rey, a UEFA Super Cup and a FIFA Club World Cup.

Zidane left the post after a trophy-less 2020-21 season in what was his own second stint with Madrid.

The 61-year-old is one of three coaches, along with former Liverpool manager Bob Paisley and Zidane, to have won the European Cup or Champions League on three occasions, having also led AC Milan to glory in 2003 and 2007.

He has also coached Juventus, Chelsea, Paris St Germain and Bayern Munich in his 26-year managerial career.

FACTBOX PLAYING AND EARLY MANAGEMENT CAREER * A midfielder for Parma, AS Roma and AC Milan, Ancelotti helped Roma win the 1983 Serie A title and four Italian Cups before joining AC Milan. * He won two more league titles at Milan, and back-to-back European Cups in 1989 and 1990. * Ancelotti was capped 26 times for Italy, scored once and played in the 1990 World Cup. * He began his coaching career at Reggiana in 1995, earning the side promotion from Serie B. He joined Parma the following season, finishing second place in Serie A in his first campaign. JUVENTUS AND MILAN * Ancelotti moved to Juventus in 1999 but failed to match the success of predecessor Marcello Lippi and departed two years later. * He returned to San Siro as coach of Milan in 2001 and won two Champions Leagues, a Scudetto, a Coppa Italia and the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup. * He left Milan in May 2009 after guiding the team to third in Serie A, joining Premier League club Chelsea on a three-year contract. DOUBLE AT CHELSEA * Chelsea won the Premier League in his first season and completed the 2009-10 double with a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth in the FA Cup final. * Ancelotti was sacked in May 2011 after Chelsea finished nine points behind Manchester United in the Premier League standings. * It also lost to United in the Champions League quarterfinals. PARIS ST GERMAIN * Ancelotti joined PSG in December 2011 and the club ended the campaign as Ligue 1 runner-up. * He led it to its first French title since 1994 the following season. FIRST SPELL AT REAL MADRID * Ancelotti joined Real Madrid in June 2013 and delivered the club's 10th European crown in his first season. He also won the Copa del Rey. * Real set a Spanish record with 22 consecutive wins at the end of 2014 but its form tailed off and it was knocked out of the Champions League by Juventus, while Barcelona won La Liga. Ancelotti was sacked a year before his contract expired. BAYERN MUNICH * Ancelotti replaced Pep Guardiola at Bayern in July 2016. * He led Bayern to its fifth consecutive Bundesliga title in his first season, but it was beaten in the Champions League quarters by Real Madrid. * He was sacked in September 2017 following Bayern's defeat by Paris St Germain in the Champions League group stages. NAPOLI * Ancelotti returned to Italy as coach of Napoli in May 2018. * Napoli finished second in Serie A, 11 points behind Juventus, and was eliminated in the Europa League quarterfinals by Arsenal. * Ancelotti was sacked in December 2019 following a poor run of results in the league. EVERTON * Ancelotti was appointed manager of Everton 11 days after his Napoli exit, and he guided the club to 12th place in the Premier League. * Everton ended last season in 10th place and Ancelotti left on Tuesday to become Real manager for the second time.

(With inputs from Reuters)