Xabi Alonso Departs as Real Madrid Coach Following Super Cup Defeat

Less than 24 hours after Real Madrid’s dramatic defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, Xabi Alonso has been relieved of his duties as head coach of Los Blancos. Alonso, who previously managed Bayer Leverkusen, was in charge for a little over seven months after being highly sought after by the Spanish giants.

In an official statement, Real Madrid announced, “Real Madrid CF and Xabi Alonso have mutually agreed to terminate his position as first team coach. Xabi Alonso will always be respected and admired by Madrid fans for being a club legend who embodies the values of Real Madrid. The club expresses its gratitude to Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their dedication during this tenure, and wishes them the best in their future endeavors.”

Alvaro Arbeloa, currently the coach of the club’s B team, has been appointed as the interim first team coach. Since June 2025, Arbeloa has been involved in coaching within the Real Madrid youth academy, where he has achieved significant success, including a treble with the Juvenil A team during the 2022-2023 season.

Gaizka Mendieta, a former Valencia star, commented on Alonso’s departure, suggesting that his high-pressing style, which proved successful at Leverkusen, was not well-suited to Real Madrid. He stated, “While we understand what Xabi wanted to implement at Madrid, we did not see that style reflected in the team’s performance. Real Madrid has not traditionally adopted such an approach, and it may have hindered Alonso’s success.”

In light of Alonso’s exit, top scorer Kylian Mbappe expressed his appreciation on social media, stating, “It has been brief, but it was a pleasure to play for you and learn from you. Thank you for instilling confidence in me from day one. Your clear ideas about football will be remembered. Best of luck in your next chapter.”

Teammate Arda Guler also took to Instagram to praise Alonso, expressing gratitude for his belief in him from the beginning and acknowledging the impact Alonso had on his development as a player.

As Alonso takes a step back from coaching, Liverpool legend John Arne Riise speculated about his future, suggesting that Alonso may eventually manage Liverpool. He remarked, “I am certain that Xabi Alonso will manage Liverpool one day. He is a type of manager that players would thrive under, alongside Steven Gerrard, who is also awaiting the right opportunity. In the future, I believe either or both could lead Liverpool Football Club.”