Real Madrid, widely regarded as the world's richest football club, has parted ways with its head coach Xabi Alonso just seven months into his three-year contract. The news comes after a crushing 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final on Monday.
Alonso, a former midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014, had been at the helm since last summer, replacing Carlo Ancelotti. Despite showing promise with ten wins in his first eleven La Liga games, Alonso's tenure has been marred by controversy and player discontent.
The final straw appeared to be star forward Vinicius Junior's public complaints about being substituted during a match against Liverpool. This was compounded by reports of other players taking issue with Alonso's coaching style.
In a surprise move, Real Madrid announced on Tuesday that Alonso would be leaving the club "by mutual agreement". The news was met with an outpouring of support for Alonso from the fans, who have always held him in high esteem as a Real Madrid legend. The club thanked Alonso and his coaching staff for their work and dedication, but also wished them well in their future endeavors.
Alvaro Arbeloa, a former right-back who made 238 appearances across seven years with the club, has been promoted to replace Alonso as head coach. This is a bold move by Real Madrid's president and board of directors, who appear to be seeking a fresh start after a tumultuous period in the club's history.
The decision to sack Alonso comes at a challenging time for Real Madrid, who have fallen to second in the domestic standings but remain well-positioned in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League. With four wins in six games under Alonso, the team's prospects still look promising, but this move suggests that the club is seeking a more assertive and decisive approach on the pitch.
Overall, the departure of Xabi Alonso marks an interesting chapter in Real Madrid's history, as the club seeks to shake off its woes and find a new path forward. With Arbeloa at the helm, there will be plenty of interest in how this fresh chapter unfolds for Los Blancos.
Alonso, a former midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014, had been at the helm since last summer, replacing Carlo Ancelotti. Despite showing promise with ten wins in his first eleven La Liga games, Alonso's tenure has been marred by controversy and player discontent.
The final straw appeared to be star forward Vinicius Junior's public complaints about being substituted during a match against Liverpool. This was compounded by reports of other players taking issue with Alonso's coaching style.
In a surprise move, Real Madrid announced on Tuesday that Alonso would be leaving the club "by mutual agreement". The news was met with an outpouring of support for Alonso from the fans, who have always held him in high esteem as a Real Madrid legend. The club thanked Alonso and his coaching staff for their work and dedication, but also wished them well in their future endeavors.
Alvaro Arbeloa, a former right-back who made 238 appearances across seven years with the club, has been promoted to replace Alonso as head coach. This is a bold move by Real Madrid's president and board of directors, who appear to be seeking a fresh start after a tumultuous period in the club's history.
The decision to sack Alonso comes at a challenging time for Real Madrid, who have fallen to second in the domestic standings but remain well-positioned in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League. With four wins in six games under Alonso, the team's prospects still look promising, but this move suggests that the club is seeking a more assertive and decisive approach on the pitch.
Overall, the departure of Xabi Alonso marks an interesting chapter in Real Madrid's history, as the club seeks to shake off its woes and find a new path forward. With Arbeloa at the helm, there will be plenty of interest in how this fresh chapter unfolds for Los Blancos.
This whole thing feels like a classic example of "what's done is done"... Alonso got the job with big expectations but couldn't quite live up to them 
. I mean, who needs that much drama? 
10 wins in 11 games is respectable, but if players are already complaining about his coaching style, you know there's gonna be more problems down the line 
. And now they're shaking things up with Arbeloa at the helm... fingers crossed it's a fresh start! 
?! I mean, Alonso was already under pressure after that 3-2 loss to Barcelona and now he's out! 
The fans are gonna miss him so much, he's like a legend at the club 
. But you have to wonder if this is the right move by the board. Ten wins in eleven games was no joke! 
️. Alvaro Arbeloa stepping in is a bold move, but you never know what he can do! 
. Can't wait to see how it all plays out! 
#RealMadrid #LaLiga #NewCoach
wins in 11 games & everything... i dont get why they gotta fire him now whats the deal with Vinicius Jr being substituted all the time? cant that b just part of the game tho? & whats w/ players complainin bout coachin style? sounds like a whole lotta drama 
arbeloa was like the 5th coach this season, cant say im surprised tho. still love vinicius tho, cant blame him for being frustrated with subs 
️ hope alonso finds another job soon and not some 12 month contract 
anyway real madrid's got some big shoes to fill now, arbeloa's a good coach but can he bring that fire back? 
Alonso did seem to be having some issues with the players tho, vinicius junior's complaints about being substituted were pretty public so i guess that was a major factor. also arbeloa is like 40 lol how's he gonna handle coaching in la liga? anyway, we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out 
alonso's style just didn't seem to be working out for some players and it's like, real madrid is always about winning and they can't afford to have any more drama on the pitch 
238 appearances is still impressive tho for arbeloa, but i guess that's not enough to keep u in a top spot when the team's struggling like this 
the whole thing just feels like a PR move to me, trying to spin Alonso's exit as a positive change when really they're just getting rid of someone who didn't do anything wrong 
. plus, players taking issue with his coaching style is a bit harsh, he's only been there for 7 months 
. i'm all for trying new approaches but this feels like a knee-jerk reaction to me 
And now they're going for a former player who played on the same team as them years ago... I don't get it. Real Madrid's got some of the best talent in the world, and yet they still can't seem to figure out how to use it effectively. It feels like they're just trying to chase the next big thing instead of building something sustainable. 
And what about all those fans who were rooting for Alonso? They must be feeling pretty disappointed right now... 
but come on, a crushing 3-2 loss doesn't warrant a coaching change? I think it's a bit harsh 
. Those player complaints about his coaching style aren't exactly surprising either 
. Fingers crossed it works out for the team (and Alonso) 
!
he was always a fan fave and had some awesome games with real madrid...but on the flip side i get why they made the move, 3-2 to barca is like a huge wake up call 
hopefully arbeloa can bring some stability and a more winning mentality to the team 
), but controversy & player discontent were always lurking. Poor guy's tenure was a rollercoaster ride 
. Stats-wise, Real Madrid are still doing alright in La Liga (9th place 
) but we'll see how Arbeloa does as new head coach 
... but then again, all these drama with players and substitutions... maybe the club just wanted a change of pace? Still, I feel bad for Alonso, 'cause it seems like everyone's against him now