Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Mancini's Disappointing Scouting Trip

Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Mancini slipped back into familiar territory on Saturday night, returning to England and to a league they both once conquered. The plan was simple: Tottenham v Newcastle, a Premier League fixture dressed up as a scouting mission, with a cluster of Italy and Brazil internationals under the microscope.

The reality was anything but.

A Scouting Trip That Fell Flat

Mancini at least got one key name on his list. Sandro Tonali started for Newcastle, giving the Italy coach a proper look at the midfielder in a demanding away game. Destiny Udogie, another Italian of interest, appeared only from the bench for Tottenham, offering Mancini a brief, late cameo to assess.

Beyond that, the night quickly unraveled.

The Brazilian contingent they had come to monitor never made it to the stage. Richarlison, Savio, Sousa, Joelinton – all absent for one reason or another, leaving Ancelotti in particular with little to show for his journey.

Savio, Tottenham’s big-money signing from Manchester City at £85 million and a scorer on his debut against Charlton, was ruled out through injury. Joelinton suffered the same fate for Newcastle, unavailable when his physical presence and versatility would have provided a perfect live audition.

Richarlison stayed on the sidelines, his omission wrapped in ongoing uncertainty over his future in London. Sousa, meanwhile, remained out of the immediate picture, stuck behind Ben Robertson and Udogie in the left-sided hierarchy and never close to the pitch.

For two national team coaches who had circled this fixture on the calendar, the team sheets told a bleak story.

Ancelotti’s Long Road, Little Reward

Ancelotti’s disappointment carried an extra layer. He had already invested heavily in the weekend before even landing in London.

On Friday night he was in France, watching his son Davide lead Lille against Paris Saint-Germain. For 90 minutes, it looked like a perfect prelude: Lille surged into a two-goal lead and held it deep into stoppage time. Then the match turned cruel. Vitinha struck in the 91st minute, Marquinhos in the 95th, and a statement win for Davide evaporated in a blur of late PSG pressure.

From there, Ancelotti flew to England, hoping the Tottenham–Newcastle clash would at least deliver clarity on several Brazil and Italy options. Instead, he was left with a notebook far emptier than expected.

Elanga Decides It, Scouts Left Waiting

On the pitch, the game did offer one decisive moment. With the match finely balanced, Anthony Elanga seized it. The Sweden international found the breakthrough in the 60th minute, his go-ahead goal tilting the contest Newcastle’s way and ultimately settling it.

While Elanga celebrated and Newcastle tightened their grip, Ancelotti and Mancini watched on, largely as spectators rather than talent evaluators. The players they had come specifically to judge were either injured, out of favour, or limited to fleeting minutes.

The Premier League delivered its usual drama. For two of its former champions, though, this was a night of long travel, late goals, and unanswered questions about the very players they needed to see most.