4 months ago
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Coach Xabi Alonso has near Real Madrid by communal agreement, a time aft their 3-2 defeat by bitter rivals Barcelona successful the Spanish Super Cup, the LaLiga club said connected Monday.
"Xabi Alonso volition ever person the emotion and admiration of each Real Madrid fans due to the fact that helium is simply a Real Madrid fable and has represented the values of our nine astatine each times. Real Madrid volition ever beryllium his home," the nine said successful a statement.
They added that second-team manager and erstwhile defender Alvaro Arbeloa volition instrumentality implicit the archetypal squad job.
Real parted ways with Alonso a small much than 7 months aft appointing him, pursuing a mediocre tally of results successful each competitions.
Leverkusen magic missing
Former Real midfielder Alonso, who was handed a three-year declaration successful May aft an awesome stint with Bayer Leverkusen, saw his tenure astatine the Santiago Bernabeu rapidly unravel.
The erstwhile Spain planetary had guided Leverkusen to a historic unbeaten campaign to triumph the Bundesliga rubric successful the 2023-24 season, on with a German Cup triumph and a Europa League last appearance, prompting Real to bring him backmost to the nine arsenic manager.
However, Alonso's instrumentality failed to replicate the occurrence of a chap erstwhile Real Madrid midfielder, Zinedine Zidane, who famously led the nine to 3 consecutive Champions League titles.
Clashes with elder players
His tenure was marred by internal discord, with reports of clashes with elder players, including co-captain Federico Valverde and winger Vinicius Jr.
Real's mediocre performances nether Alonso included humbling losses to Paris St Germain successful the Club World Cup, to Atletico Madrid successful LaLiga, and Liverpool and Manchester City successful the Champions League.
Arbeloa volition instrumentality implicit the occupation instantly and volition beryllium connected the sidelines connected Wednesday arsenic Real sojourn second-division broadside Albacete successful a Copa del Rey circular of 16 tie.
After starring LaLiga earlier successful the play with a comfy five-point vantage implicit aged rivals Barcelona, Alonso's Real collapsed and are present second, 4 points down past year's champions Barca.
Alonso's assignment was initially seen arsenic a semipermanent project, but his dismissal signals the club's impatience with Real falling abbreviated of their precocious standards.
The 44-year-old, who made 236 appearances for Los Blancos arsenic a subordinate betwixt 2009 and 2014, won a LaLiga title, 2 Copa del Rey trophies, and the club's long-awaited 10th European crown during his years successful midfield.
Alonso besides began his coaching vocation astatine Real's academy, managing the Under-14 broadside to league and tourney occurrence successful the 2018-19 season, earlier progressing to Real Sociedad's reserve squad and past Leverkusen.
Arbeloa steps in
His successor, Arbeloa, has been the manager of Real Madrid Castilla since June 2025 and has spent his full coaching vocation successful the club's younker academy since 2020.
Arbeloa played for Real during 1 of the astir palmy periods successful the club's history, betwixt 2009 and 2016, playing 238 matches and winning 8 titles, including 2 Champions League trophies.
He was besides successful the Spain squad that won the 2010 World Cup and 2 European Championships, making 56 planetary appearances.
