Ancelotti: 'I won't resign, but...'

By Football Italia staff

Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he will “not resign” from Napoli, but won’t rule out an imminent dismissal. “I’ll see the President tomorrow and we’ll see.”

The reports had been swirling around over the last 48 hours and intensified to practical certainty this afternoon, with suggestions Gennaro Gattuso has already been lined up.

“We had a good Champions League group, played with courage and character. Considering the current state of affairs, we’ll hold on tight to that,” Ancelotti told Sky Sport Italia.

“It’s one of the few satisfactions we’ve had this season and much of that is our fault. We proved in the Champions League that we can be competitive in Europe.”

The 4-0 win against Genk secured their place in the Champions League Round of 16 and ensured Napoli finished their group unbeaten for the first time in the club’s history.

It also ended a nine-game winless streak in all competition, but the damage had been done with their Serie A form and the deteriorating rapport Ancelotti had with the squad and President Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Ancelotti was asked if he will still be on the Napoli bench for Saturday’s Serie A game against Parma.

“I hope so, but it’s something I have to evaluate with the President and we will meet tomorrow. I don’t know anything about contact with other coaches, we just focused on the game.

“Tomorrow there will be a meeting agreed by mutual consent to evaluate the situation as it stands right now.

“I have never resigned in my life and I never will. This team has quality and proved that in the Champions League, whereas we haven’t been able to yet in Serie A.”

He was also questioned on the similarities between this situation and the end of his Bayern Munich tenure.

“It was different in Munich, as there was a clash above all with the club. I thought there was the need for a generational change and clashed with some players.

“The situation here is that the team has not been able to express its full value, but there were no clashes, aside from isolated incidents that happen everywhere. It’s completely different.

“It is natural to be put under the spotlight and I must be judged on what I am doing, in which case the results are not satisfying. We want to improve our Serie A status, so I hope this Champions League qualification can take some of the pressure off, because the team is playing with a weight on its shoulders.”

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