Why Xabi Alonso's Hopes of Returning to Real Madrid Fell Apart in Record Time
Xabi Alonso's time as Real Madrid manager ended after just under eight months when the Spaniard finalised his exit from the club on Monday.
The ex-midfield star was anticipated to transform Madrid's style with a smart and tactically sharp strategy, yet his squad often promised more than it delivered.
In the end Madrid appeared much like they did the previous season, finishing without any significant silverware, as Barcelona outclassed them in a 3-2 loss in the Spanish Super Cup final on Sunday.
Trailing the Catalan La Liga frontrunners by four points and placed seventh in the Champions League league stage, Florentino Perez stepped in and appointed the reserve side coach Alvaro Arbeloa in Alonso's place.
The dismissal loomed over Alonso for weeks, with a sequence of five wins holding it off until the Clasico held in Saudi Arabia.
Alonso, who earned widespread praise at Bayer Leverkusen for securing the Bundesliga title without a single loss in 2024, joined Real Madrid aiming to emulate the triumphs of Carlo Ancelotti or Zinedine Zidane.
That said, his rapid sacking places him alongside other short-lived managers such as Rafa Benitez and Julen Lopetegui.
Alonso had hoped for a fresh midfielder signing in the summer following Luka Modric's departure that season and Toni Kroos's the prior year, but no such addition materialised.
The side's showings in the Club World Cup during Alonso's initial outings hinted at potential, in spite of a harsh 4-0 semi-final beating from Paris Saint-Germain.
At Real Madrid the top players usually call the shots and although results started solidly, issues emerged as Alonso's methods failed to mesh with them.
The Basque coach frequently shuffled his lineup, much to the frustration of stars like Vinicius Junior, who found himself on the bench multiple times and pulled off prematurely in other games.
After an early withdrawal during a 2-1 La Liga Clasico triumph in October, Vinicius vented his anger towards Alonso. That incident marked a turning point.
Rather than disciplining Vinicius, the manager reinstated his almost unassailable position, even amid a 16-game goal drought that only broke in Jeddah. It proved insufficient and untimely.
Jude Bellingham likewise secured a guaranteed starting spot post-shoulder surgery recovery, despite the England player's patchy performances.
Emerging talents who shone early on, such as Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono, saw their minutes dwindle.
As the key figures returned, certain elements of Alonso's philosophy were sidelined. Intense pressing disappeared from their tactics.
Madrid endured a wave of injuries, which Alonso attributed in part to the shift in their style, limiting his choices further.
While the Clasico success against Barcelona granted Alonso a brief reprieve, it seemed club president Perez remained unconvinced throughout.
The French ace Kylian Mbappe kept netting goals prolifically, but the attack seldom clicked smoothly, with an excess of talents disrupting the unity.
Plummeting Form
A heavy 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid in September stained Alonso's record early, and even victories lacked real conviction.
Hosting an NFL game at the Santiago Bernabeu in November crammed more away fixtures into their calendar, fuelling a poor stretch of results.
They fell to Liverpool away in the Champions League, and after a home La Liga loss to Celta Vigo in December, Madrid's supporters jeered them.
Reports in Spanish press indicated Alonso faced a deadline: a Champions League defeat against Manchester City would seal his fate.
City's manager Pep Guardiola supported Alonso ahead of the match, highlighting the challenges of leading a Spanish powerhouse.
"It is a tough spot, but he understands it, having played here before, he grasps the situation," remarked the ex-Barcelona boss.
Though they lost 2-1, Alonso received another extension. The display showed improvement, and squad members voiced backing for him post-match.
Yet afterwards it seemed any misstep could conclude his tenure.
A handful of wins followed, though the quality remained dubious, and Barcelona's Clasico win gave Perez the opening to intervene.
Alonso's successor Arbeloa, elevated from the reserves and a past Madrid player himself, brings deep club knowledge along with an awareness of the intense pressure in the role.