Xabi Alonso leaves Real Madrid by ‘mutual agreement’, replaced by former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa

Former Liverpool full-back Arbeloa will take charge, being promoted from his role as head coach of development side Real Madrid Castilla.

“Xabi Alonso will always have the affection 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.

“Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their lives.”

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Speaking in his final press conference before his dismissal, Alonso said in the aftermath of the damaging and ultimately defining 3-2 loss to Barcelona: “We have to move on as soon as possible. It’s the least important of the competitions we play. We have to look forward, try to get players back (from injury), get our morale back and keep going.”

But Real’s direction of travel will no longer include Alonso at the helm.

‘Departure the best conclusion after messy Madrid affair’

The 44-year-old had previously been strongly linked with succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool before Arne Slot was appointed, but is now unemployed having failed to collect any silverware from his seven months in charge, but a win percentage of 70% having lost six of his 34 games in charge.

Former Madrid midfielder Steve McManaman told TNT Sports: “It’s a huge shock really because we heard (the speculation) when they played Manchester City (in the Champions League). But since then, he’s won a lot of the games. He beat Atletico Madrid in the semi-final (of the Spanish Super Cup) the other day.

“Of course, they lost last night (in the final), but it was a very close game to Barcelona. They probably should have equalised late on. The only thing I would say is that Xabi doesn’t take any nonsense off the people upstairs and he’s quite happy to argue back.

“So, I think in the end, it’s probably the best conclusion of what’s been a messy affair and Xabi will get another job very quickly. I think he knows that. That’s why he was in a position of power, really.”

Why Real have promoted Arbeloa

Alvaro Arbeloa has been appointed as Alonso’s successor

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Following the mutual agreement to relieve Alonso of his duties, Arbeloa will now assume the role on a permanent basis with the club moving swiftly to appoint an internal successor.

Arbeloa has been Castilla coach since June 2025, having spent his entire coaching career at Real Madrid’s academy since 2020. He has worked his way gradually through the youth team set-up, coaching the Infantil A in 2020/21, Cadete A in 2021/22 and Juvenil A from 2022 to 2025, winning the treble in 2022/23 – league, Copa del Rey and Champions Cup – and the league title again in 2024/25.

As a player, Arbeloa was part of one of the most successful periods in Madrid’s history, making 238 appearances between 2009 and 2016 and winning eight major trophies, including two UEFA Champions Leagues. He was also a key member of Spain’s golden generation, earning 56 caps and lifting the 2010 World Cup and European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

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During his time as a player at Liverpool, the 42-year-old moved to Merseyside on deadline day in January 2007, signed by Rafa Benitez and offloaded back to Madrid two years later in the summer of 2009 having collected a Champions League runners-up medal from his time at Anfield.

Real currently sit seventh in the standings, just inside the automatic spots for a last-16 berth, with a home match against Monaco and a trip to Lisbon to face Benfica to play in the league phase.

Rise and fall of one of Europe’s most coveted managers

Alonso’s bond with Real Madrid was forged during five seasons as a player, a spell that yielded two Copa del Rey titles, La Liga, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup.

His reputation as a coach soared at Bayer Leverkusen, where an unbeaten Bundesliga triumph in 2024 cemented his status as one of Europe’s brightest managerial prospects. A historic treble narrowly eluded him, Leverkusen lifting the German Cup but falling 3-0 to Atalanta in the Europa League final.

Despite widespread interest, Alonso remained in Germany for another season before returning to the Bernabeu last summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti. Yet within seven months, the mood had turned.

In December, he and his players were booed off after a sobering 2-0 home defeat by Celta Vigo, a result that followed an earlier 5-2 loss to Atletico Madrid and damaging Champions League setbacks against Liverpool and Manchester City.

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To the board, it increasingly appeared Alonso was not the man to deliver a record-extending 16th European Cup.

Reports in Spain and abroad suggested Alonso was also struggling to command the full backing of the dressing room, claims he repeatedly denied.

Tensions were evident as early as September, when Vinicius Junior reacted angrily to being substituted during a win over Espanyol after being omitted from two starting line-ups. The friction resurfaced a month later when the Brazilian was again withdrawn during El Clasico.

Alonso’s exit came shortly after Vinicius ended a 19-match scoring drought. The task of managing a squad rich in world-class talent now falls to Arbeloa.

While he will be afforded plenty of goodwill within the club, stepping into the first-team spotlight represents an altogether different challenge in his first senior managerial role.

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