Fernando Morientes: 'Real Madrid should keep Carlo Ancelotti'

Former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes has urged the club to keep manager Carlo Ancelotti beyond the end of the season.

Ancelotti's future at the Santiago Bernabeu has come under the spotlight this season, despite the team challenging for honours on multiple fronts.

Los Blancos are currently just two points behind Barcelona in the La Liga table, while they remain on course to defend their Champions League crown.

While doubts still linger over whether the notoriously temperamental Madrid hierarchy will look to change the coaching staff in the summer, Morientes believes that Ancelotti is the right man to guide the team forward.

"Yes, at this moment he is the right man for Real Madrid, he has shown that," the Spaniard told Goal.com. "He has won titles in Italy, France, England and Spain. He is a special coach, at the highest level. Working with regular players is very different to coaching elite ones, like the players you find at Real Madrid. I think he knows how to balance that very well."

Madrid continue their Champions League campaign tonight when they host local rivals Atletico Madrid for the second leg of their quarter-final clash.