Xabi Alonso’s tumultuous reign as Real Madrid manager is over, terminated by mutual consent less than eight months into a three year deal following a damaging Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona.
The club confirmed the departure on Monday, with former teammate and current Castilla boss Alvaro Arbeloa stepping up as interim manager. The decision comes after a 3-1 loss to Barça in Jeddah, which left the season teetering and Alonso’s authority critically undermined.
“Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his time as coach,” a club statement read. The language was respectful, acknowledging Alonso’s legendary status as a player, but the timing was brutal. The defeat meant back to back Super Cup final losses for Real, and they currently trail Barcelona by four points in La Liga.
Alonso, who arrived last summer after a historic unbeaten title win with Bayer Leverkusen, never replicated that magic in Madrid. His side lacked identity and resilience, with the capitulation against their eternal rivals proving the final straw for president Florentino Perez. “The club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication,” the statement concluded, a customary send off for a dream appointment turned sour.
Arbeloa, a defender who won everything with Real as a player, will take charge for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey trip to Albacete. The club are keen to stress this is a temporary measure, buying time while they pursue a heavyweight permanent successor. The 41 year old is a safe pair of hands, knows the club’s culture and its burgeoning youth players, but is not seen as the long-term answer.
The rumour mill is already spinning at full tilt. All eyes turn to who Perez will target next.
Zinedine Zidane remains the romantic choice for many fans and a figure the president trusts implicitly. Currently in Morocco following his son at AFCON, the Frenchman has been out of management since leaving Madrid in 2021. A third stint is not without precedent, and his ability to command immediate respect is unquestioned.
Another former galactico, Jurgen Klopp, is the blockbuster name. Perez has long admired the German’s intensity and man management. However, Klopp is settled in his Red Bull executive role, and his associate Oliver Mintzlaff recently stated Klopp “doesn’t want to be a coach at the moment.” Madrid’s call, however, is one of the few that might make him reconsider.
The ambitious but risky option could be Enzo Maresca. The Italian, who left Chelsea abruptly on New Year’s Day, is a highly rated tactician with a fresh Champions League title on his CV. His style aligns with modern possession based football, but his recent, fractious exit from Stamford Bridge raises questions about his fit for Madrid’s political pressure cooker.
A left field candidate is Andoni Iraola. The Bournemouth manager has earned plaudits for his dynamic, aggressive football on a shoestring budget in the Premier League. He represents a project hire, a coach on an upward trajectory, but leaping from the Vitality Stadium to the Bernabeu is a monumental step.
For now, Arbeloa must steady the ship. The immediate task is navigating the Copa del Rey and ensuring their league challenge doesn’t dissolve before a new boss is appointed. Alonso’s exit is a stark reminder that at Real Madrid, legend status offers no protection when results turn. The search for the next saviour begins today.