Xabi Alonso‘s managerial reign at Real Madrid has come to an abrupt end less than 24 hours after their Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona. A day after losing 3-2 to their Clasico rivals in Saudi Arabia, Los Blancos say Alonso has left by mutual consent after seven months in charge. Former Real Madrid midfielder Alonso, who played 236 times for the club as a player, was only appointed last June.
The Spaniard oversaw 34 matches as manager, winning 24, drawing four and losing six. He leaves with the club sat second in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona. They are also into the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and sit seventh in the Champions League table, in position to qualify automatically for the knockouts and avoid a two-legged playoff tie. Real also reached the Club World Cup semi-finals under Alonso in the summer.
But despite winning five matches in a row before the defeat to Barca as well as 13 of their first 14 matches of the season, Real Madrid have parted ways with Alonso. The ex-Liverpool player will now be heavily linked with a return to Anfield where Arne Slot has endured a difficult second season after leading the Reds to the Premier League title in his maiden campaign.
Despite their struggles, Liverpool still beat Alonso’s Real Madrid team in the Champions League on November 4 at Anfield. The Spanish giants said in a statement on Monday evening: “Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his time as first team coach.
“Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.
“Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their lives.”
Alonso’s former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa has been confirmed as his successor. A follow-up statement read: “Real Madrid C.F. would like to announce that Alvaro Arbeloa will be the new first team coach.
“Alvaro Arbeloa has been the coach of Castilla since June 2025, and has spent his entire coaching career in Real Madrid’s youth academy since 2020. He coached the Under-14s A in the 2020-2021 season, winning the league title, the Under-16s in the 2021-2022 season and the Under-19s from 2022 to 2025. As coach of the Under-19s, he won the treble in the 2022-2023 season (League, Copa del Rey and Champions Cup) and the League in the 2024-2025 season.
“As a player, Alvaro Arbeloa was part of Real Madrid in one of the most successful periods of its history. He defended our shirt between 2009 and 2016, in 238 official matches. During that time he won 8 trophies: 2 European Cups, 1 Club World Cup, 1 Uefa Super Cup, 1 LaLiga title, 2 Copa del Rey trophies and 1 Spanish Super Cup.
“With the Spanish national team, Alvaro Arbeloa was also part of a historic era, in which he won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and 2 European Championships (2008 and 2012). He was capped 56 times.”
Before taking charge at the Bernabeu, Alonso enjoyed immense success at Bayer Leverkusen. The 44-year-old led the German club to their first ever Bundesliga title. Die Werkself even went the entire in the 2023-24 season without losing once in 34 games, winning 28 and drawing six en route to lifting the Meisterschale.
In the same campaign, they also won the DFB Pokal for just the second time in the club’s history and finished as runners-up in the Europa League, losing to Atalanta in the final. Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz ended as the Bundesliga Player of the Year and is now at Liverpool, where he is still searching to become as prolific as he was under Alonso.