AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has fuelled speculation Carlo Ancelotti will leave the club this summer by accusing the Rossoneri boss of costing the club the Serie A title this season. The Italian giants are seven points behind city rivals Inter with just three games to go and seemingly poised to miss out on the domestic title once again.
They have not won the Scudetto since 2004 but a recent revival under Ancelotti has taken them to the brink of a return to the Champions League.
Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, is reportedly in no doubt about who is to blame for the domestic failure, however.
"We lost the title because of Ancelotti," La Repubblicanewspaper quoted him as saying on a visit to Egypt.
"Many times we did not use the right tactics.
"We have so many good dribblers and should have based our football on this asset, but we did the opposite."
Club vice-president Adriano Galliani refused to endorse Berlusconi's views, insisting now is not the time to discuss what might happen at the end of the season.
"I never comment, as a rule, on the declarations of president Berlusconi and I don't comment what is reported to me by the newspapers that I have not read," he told the club's official website, www.acmilan.com.
"I said and I repeat that I won't speak before May 31st on these things, or at least I won't speak before we have reached the direct qualification to the Champions League."
Ancelotti has been heavily tipped to take over at Chelsea at the end of the season and it is believed he met officials from the London club last night, as they sought reassurances he intends to swap San Siro for Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Milan's recent form prompted the Italian into a claiming his future lay in Italy.
"We are finishing the season very well, results are coming and we are more consistent," he said yesterday. "I am AC Milan's manager and I will be doing this job for some time."
The 49-year-old has an option in his contract at the Italian club, which expires in June, for a further season but Berlusconi's comments will undoubtedly cast doubt over his readiness to activate that.
