Xabi Alonso leaves Real Madrid, Alvaro Arbeloa appointed as coach

MADRID – Real Madrid have appointed Alvaro Arbeloa after Xabi Alonso left the Spanish giants by mutual consent, the club confirmed on Monday.

After losing the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona on Sunday, Real decided to part ways with the Basque coach – in charge for less than eight months – and immediately appointed former Real player Arbeloa who was coaching the reserve side.

“Real Madrid announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to bring his tenure as first-team coach to an end,” said Los Blancos in a statement.

In a separate statement, Real then announced that Arbeloa would take Alonso’s place, without specifying the length of the 42-year-old’s contract.

“Arbeloa has been the coach of Castilla since June 2025 and has developed his entire coaching career in Real Madrid’s academy since 2020,” said Los Blancos.

Arbeloa’s first match at the helm is a Copa del Rey last-16 visit to face second-tier Albacete on Wednesday.

The Spaniard played 238 times for Real between 2009-2016, winning two Champions League titles and La Liga once, among other silverware.

Arbeloa also lifted the World Cup with Spain in 2010, as well as the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

Alonso joined in June, replacing veteran Carlo Ancelotti, but Real struggled to find consistency under him and are second in La Liga, four points behind Barcelona.

Los Blancos were outplayed in a 3-2 defeat in Saudi Arabia on Sunday by Hansi Flick’s side.

“It’s been short but it was a pleasure to play for you and learn from you,” French superstar Kylian Mbappe wrote on Instagram.

“I will remember you as a manager who had clear ideas, and knows many things about football. Best of luck for (your) next chapter.”

Alonso was close to the sack towards the end of 2025 but a run of five consecutive wins kept him in his position, until the Super Cup defeat.

He had signed a three-season deal at the Bernabeu after leaving German side Bayer Leverkusen, with whom he won the Bundesliga in 2024.

Real were thrashed 4-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in July in the Club World Cup semi-finals, which was an early setback for the coach.

A 5-2 drubbing by Atletico Madrid in September was another blow for Alonso, although it was the team’s only league defeat until December.

Despite a Clasico win over Barcelona in October, it appeared that president Florentino Perez had not fully warmed to Alonso, who had intended to bring a modern coaching approach to the team.

While Ancelotti, who led Real to three Champions League wins across two spells in charge, was hailed for his man-management, Alonso was appointed for his tactical nous.

But his team struggled through a run of poor form amid an injury crisis, losing at home against Celta Vigo, and away at Liverpool in Europe, as well as drawing several domestic games.

In that period many of the tactical ideas Alonso had tried to implement, including high pressing, faded away, amid reports some star players had fallen out with him.

Wingers Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo dropped out of form, going several months without finding the net.

Spanish media also said Alonso would be ousted if they failed to beat Manchester City in the Champions League in December.

Real lost against Pep Guardiola’s side but the performance enough of an improvement that Alonso was given more time to try and save his job.

However, the defeat by Barca in Jeddah was the final straw for the club. AFP