Xabi Alonso SACKED by Real Madrid: Club legend dismissed after just seven months in charge following Spanish Super Cup defeat by Barcelona – with former Liverpool team-mate set to take charge

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso was sacked less than 24 hours after losing the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona.

The 44-year-old had come under increasing pressure in recent weeks amid rumors that he had fallen out with his players, and defeat in El Clasico was the final straw.

Madrid announced that Alonso, who played 236 matches for Los Blancos, left the club by “mutual agreement” this evening.

Alvaro Arbeloa, who played for Alonso when he worked with him at Liverpool, was appointed as his successor. The 42-year-old player has been working at Madrid’s academy since 2020 and has been in charge of the club’s B team, Castilla, since last summer.

The following statements were included in the statement: ‘Real Madrid CF announced that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it was decided to terminate his tenure as first team coach.

‘Xabi Alonso will always have the love and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values ​​of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.

Madrid’s B team coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been appointed as the club’s new coach.

Arbeloa and Alonso played together during their days at Liverpool (Photo taken with Jamie Carragher in May 2009)

‘Our club would like to thank Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time and wish them success in this new phase of their lives.’

The Spaniard left the Estadio Bernabeu to leave Madrid four points behind arch-rivals Barcelona, ​​who won the Super Cup on Sunday night thanks to Raphinha’s brace and Robert Lewandowski’s stylish finish.

Gonzalo Garcia and Vinicius Jr, who have been at the center of the feud with Alonso for much of this season, scored for Los Blancos but it was not enough despite Barça midfielder Frenkie de Jong being sent off late on.

Alonso briefly embraced Florentino Perez after the final whistle as Madrid’s defeated stars collected their runners-up medals, with the ruthless club president pulling the plug on the former Bayer Leverkusen boss’ reign just hours later.

Arbeloa, Spain’s former World Cup champion who played for both Madrid and Liverpool, takes over on a permanent basis. His first match on the bench will be against Levante at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

In the announcement made a few minutes after the news of Alonso’s dismissal came, “Real Madrid CF announced that Alvaro Arbeloa is the new first team coach.” The statement was included.

Alonso joined the Spanish giants just eight months ago after a hugely successful spell in charge of Leverkusen, leading the club to its first Bundesliga title.

Alonso, who left the team at the end of last season, took over in the Spanish capital in time for the Club World Cup, which saw Madrid eliminated in the semi-finals.

He won 13 of his first 14 matches in office, and his only defeat was against Atletico Madrid.

Madrid lost the Super Cup final in Jeddah after Raphinha’s brace and Robert Lewandowski’s silky finish.

Vinicius Jr. It is understood that some Real Madrid players, including some players, were unhappy with some of the manager’s methods.

However, defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League in early November was a turning point; Madrid’s dismal run with only two wins in eight matches increased the pressure on Alonso.

Rumors of a split at Madrid’s Ciudad training complex didn’t help the club legend either; Spanish newspapers reported that up to five players were thought to be unhappy with his methods.

Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. are understood to have concerns about Alonso’s tactics, particularly his insistence on playing from the back.

Vinicius, in particular, appeared less than happy with the Alonso regime and was far from voicing his disappointments after being replaced in the El Clasico at the end of October.

The Brazilian later issued a public apology to ‘his teammates, the club and the club president’, but this failed to dispel speculation that the Madrid coach had lost the dressing room.

The club’s captain, Fede Valverde, had enough gossip to be suspicious of Alonso’s methods and was even forced to refute speculation that he had refused to play in the Champions League match against Kairat Almaty in October.

It comes after Alonso deployed the Uruguayan as a full-back in the absence of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal, with Valverde defiantly saying ‘I wasn’t born to play right-back’ ahead of the European clash.

But Alonso undoubtedly brought about a brief reversal of fortunes over the festive period as Los Blancos won five matches in a row.

But the improvement in form was not enough to convince the hierarchy at the Bernabeu to stick with their manager, who will undoubtedly be linked with a return to the Premier League in the coming months.