Farewell Messages from Xabi Alonso’s Staff at Real Madrid

The departure of Xabi Alonso is not the only significant change taking place at Real Madrid. His coaching staff has also said their goodbyes, sharing heartfelt messages filled with a sense of sadness and gratitude as they leave the club.

Sebas Parrilla, Alonso’s right-hand man and assistant coach, took to Instagram to express his reflections, lamenting that their collective effort did not yield the anticipated results: “I did my best, but it wasn’t enough. I am eternally grateful and indebted. Thank you, Vieja.”

Ismael Fernández Cuevas, the sports scientist on Alonso’s team, shared a more extensive farewell message chronicling his time at Real Madrid: “7 months and 13 days. It may seem like a sentence, but it has been a dream,” he began. Fernández Cuevas expressed his affection for the players, acknowledging their great rapport: “Their kindness and closeness have been wonderful, despite the fact that I bothered them every morning with my camera, wellness checks, and all those things we nerds come up with.”

While feeling the sting of leaving Real Madrid, he also extended his best wishes to the new coaching staff: “I only wish the best for the new staff, my colleagues who remain, and the players. I know the challenge is significant, but I am more than confident that they can handle it.”

Beñat Labaien, another assistant to Xabi, offered a more succinct reflection on the reality of coaching in football: “Understanding and accepting what happens as part of our profession has made this time at the world’s most demanding club a privilege. Thank you, colleagues, and thank you, Real Madrid.”

Javier Arnaiz, the physical trainer during Alonso’s tenure, focused on the positives despite the dismissal: “Cycles are cycles, and while some may end sooner than we would like, what matters is all that we have learned.”

Arnaiz also expressed gratitude towards the players: “Thank you to all those incredible players with whom I had the privilege to work in the strength area. I will carry you in my heart forever. I hope you have gained as much from me as I have from you.”

The former physical trainer did not forget to acknowledge his family: “Risking and giving it our all is part of who we are as a family: four Olympic Games behind us, a sports retirement, becoming first-time parents, and moving internationally to live this experience in less than a year—all of this is something I deeply thank my beautiful wife @nuriagodgiven for. Without you, this would not have been possible. Thank you for joining me on this adventure with our lovely daughter.”