Alonso’s brief tenure ends “by mutual agreement”
Real Madrid confirmed that Xabi Alonso has left his role as first-team head coach by mutual agreement following the 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. The decision arrives a little over seven months after his appointment and with Madrid sitting four points behind Barcelona in La Liga.
Alonso arrived at the Bernabéu after a highly successful period at Bayer Leverkusen, where he secured a domestic double in 2023/24 and reached a European final. His Madrid reign began strongly: after guiding the side to the Club World Cup semi-finals, he won 13 of his first 14 matches, the only setback being a heavy derby loss to Atlético Madrid.
However, a subsequent downturn proved decisive. A defeat at Liverpool in November initiated a sequence of only two wins in eight games. Although Madrid later recovered with a five-match winning run, that resurgence was deemed insufficient to restore confidence at board level. Overall, Alonso leaves with 24 wins from 34 matches, a 70% win rate, but without major silverware during his tenure.
In his final press conference after the Super Cup loss, Alonso urged his players to “move on as soon as possible,” stressing the need to recover morale and fitness. The club emphasised its respect for him as a former player and figurehead, stating that Madrid “will always be his home”.
Arbeloa promoted to first senior managerial role
Álvaro Arbeloa assumes the position of head coach with immediate effect. A former Real Madrid and Spain defender, Arbeloa has worked within the club’s coaching structure since 2020, progressing through academy levels and, most recently, leading Real Madrid Castilla.
His youth-team record includes a standout season with the Juvenil A side, achieving a domestic treble and further league success thereafter. As a player, he made 238 appearances for Madrid between 2009 and 2016, collecting eight major trophies, including two Champions League titles, and earning 56 caps for Spain during a glittering international era crowned by the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008 & 2012 triumphs.
Arbeloa steps into the senior role with Real facing Albacete in the Copa del Rey and navigating a Champions League campaign in which the team currently sits seventh in the league-phase standings.
Context: from rising reputation to rapid reckoning
Alonso’s trajectory into elite management accelerated at Leverkusen, highlighted by an unbeaten Bundesliga title in 2023/24 and a domestic cup win. His return to Madrid as Ancelotti’s successor was framed as the homecoming of an admired former midfielder whose playing spell yielded La Liga, the Champions League and domestic cups.
Yet strains surfaced. Supporters voiced frustration after a 2–0 defeat by Celta Vigo, while heavy losses to Atlético Madrid and European reverses against Liverpool and Manchester City intensified scrutiny. Reports suggested challenges in commanding full dressing-room backing, even as Alonso publicly rejected such claims.
The exit follows the end of a 19-match scoring drought for Vinícius Júnior and leaves Arbeloa with the task of managing a squad rich in world-class talent under heightened expectations.
What changes now for Real Madrid?
Arbeloa inherits a side in contention domestically yet short of its own exacting standards. With the La Liga deficit at four points and Champions League progression still to secure, early priorities will include stabilising form, rebuilding confidence and integrating returning players from injury.
Madrid’s decision signals a decisive internal reset: continuity of club identity through an ex-player coach, coupled with the demand for immediate competitive results.
