Real Madrid have made a seismic managerial change, parting ways with Xabi Alonso and immediately installing his former Liverpool and Spain colleague, Alvaro Arbeloa, as his successor.
A Swift Exit After El Clásico Defeat
The decision to dismiss Alonso came swiftly on Monday, just one day after his team suffered a 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup. The club announced the departure was by mutual consent, though the timing strongly suggests a sacking. Alonso, who only joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025, leaves after a brief and turbulent eight-month tenure.
Despite a record of 24 wins from 34 matches across all competitions, tensions had been building behind the scenes. Reports indicated disagreements with the club's hierarchy, led by president Florentino Perez, and some key stars in the dressing room, including Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe. The loss to Barcelona proved to be the final straw.
Arbeloa Steps Up From Within
In a move highlighting their faith in internal promotion, Real Madrid have turned to a familiar face. Alvaro Arbeloa has been handed the top job after rising through the club's youth academy coaching ranks since 2020. He was most recently in charge of Real Madrid Castilla, the club's B team.
The club's official statement detailed Arbeloa's impressive coaching journey, which includes winning a league title with the Under-14s and a historic treble with the Under-19s in the 2022-2023 season. As a player, he is a club legend, having made 238 appearances between 2009 and 2016, winning eight trophies including two Champions Leagues and a La Liga title.
Arbeloa also shared a pitch with Alonso for club and country, winning the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain.
The Challenge Ahead for the New Boss
Arbeloa inherits a squad that finds itself in a challenging position. Real Madrid currently sit four points behind Barcelona in La Liga after 19 games. In the Champions League, their form has been stronger, with four wins from six group stage matches leaving them in a solid position to progress.
The new manager's task will be to unite the squad and close the gap at the top of the table. Alonso, speaking after the fateful defeat to Barcelona, seemed unaware his time was up, stating his team needed to "move on as soon as possible" and focus on recovering morale. Now, that responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of his former team-mate, Alvaro Arbeloa.
