Ancelotti refuses to discuss future after talk of rift with Madrid board

Carlo Ancelotti has strenuously denied that a rift has developed between himself and the Real Madrid hierarchy, following a difficult period that has seen the club dumped out of the Champions League and lose ground to arch rivals Barcelona in the Spanish title race.

Rumours have begun to spread about his future at the Bernabeu, with some suggesting that he could possibly leave after the Copa del Rey final - against Barcelona - later this month.

'Los Blancos' go into Sunday's home game against Athletic Bilbao after being well beaten over two legs by Arsenal in Europe and Ancelotti's side have also suffered back-to-back defeats at the Bernabeu for the first time in 17 months.

"I regret nothing," Ancelotti said at his pre-game press conference in Madrid on Saturday. "Like I've always said, I have had a great relationship with the club since I arrived. I always had it and I will always have it. Everything we've done and everything we'll do, and everything we'll try to do from now on, we'll do it together. We never had and we will never have any kind of confrontation. Saying there's some kind of confrontation between me and the club is unreal. It's lying to the people."

Real currently lie four points behind Barcelona with seven games to go in La Liga, but with Barcelona entertaining Celta Vigo later on Saturday, Ancelotti's side could find themselves seven points in arrears by the time they take to the field against Bilbao.