Real Madrid: Xabi Alonso Sacked After Clásico Loss

Almost six months after taking office at Real Madrid as the most sought-after coach in the world, Xabi Alonso has to vacate his post again. The Madrilenians announced their separation from the former master coach of Bayer Leverkusen one day after the Clásico defeat in the Supercup against FC Barcelona (2:3). Álvaro Arbeloa, Alonso’s former teammate at Real and most recently coach of the second team, takes over.

The club announced on Monday that the separation was decided by “mutual agreement”. Alonso, who only started in Madrid in the summer with high expectations as Carlo Ancelotti’s successor, will “always enjoy the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans,” wrote the Madrilenians. Alonso is “a legend of Real Madrid” and has “always embodied the values of our club. Real Madrid will always remain his home.”

After restless weeks before the duel with Barcelona and German coach Hansi Flick, Alonso was still confident. “Projects take time. We are developing further in terms of football, emotions and team spirit,” said Alonso before the game, after winning the previous five competitive games with Real and supposedly buying himself some time.

In the Spanish La Liga, Madrid is four points behind champions and cup winners Barcelona. The record winners have also won four of their six previous games in the Champions League, with two defeats against Liverpool FC (0-1) and Manchester City (1-2). The party against City at the beginning of December had already been proclaimed as a personal “final” for Alonso, and despite the defeat, the Basque native was allowed to continue.

Reports about Alonso’s allegedly tense relationship with parts of his team had been accumulating for weeks. It was said, for example, that there was a “cold war” in the dressing room; superstars like Vinicius Júnior and Jude Bellingham were said to be very dissatisfied. Recently, however, small indications suggested that the dressing room could be behind the 44-year-old again.

As a player, Alonso celebrated numerous successes with Real between 2009 and 2014. He won the Champions League, a championship title and the Spanish Cup twice. In his professional career he also played for Liverpool FC and Bayern Munich.

Alonso, who won the double as Leverkusen coach in 2024 and caused a stir across Europe, will be inherited by Arbeloa. The Spaniard became world and European champion as a player alongside Alonso and played for the Royals from 2009 to 2016. Before that, both played together for Liverpool FC. Arbeloa has been working as a coach in Real’s youth academy since 2020 and as head of the second team since June 2025.

Note: This article has been updated.