The season ended as it began, with new coach Xabi Alonso seemingly misaligned with the esteemed traditions of Real Madrid.
While many in the club hastened to blame Kylian Mbappe for allegedly preventing his teammates from honoring Barcelona with a Super Cup guard of honor, others reflected further back. They recalled Alonso’s initial challenge at the Club World Cup against Al Hilal.
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Despite Florentino Perez wanting the club to make a substantial statement about the significance of this new competition, in line with his vision for modern football, Alonso appeared to regard it as lacking any real sporting value. Sources indicate that this created immediate tension between Perez and his highly-touted new hire. Following this, Alonso received scant public backing and was notably absent from the president’s annual Christmas message.
This marks a stark conclusion to his brief coaching stint, echoing the predictable pattern where every Madrid coach is ultimately overshadowed by the star players and the president. A common saying at the Bernabeu—shared even with executives from other top clubs—suggests that the coach has little relevance.
The disparity between these two situations perfectly encapsulates both this attitude and Alonso’s experience. There were additional defeats, including a frustrating 3-2 loss to Barcelona. Off-field matters overshadowed on-field performances, and the club’s priorities during the Club World Cup became increasingly apparent. Ultimately, it seemed the Madrid stars operated independently of the coach’s plans, leaving him unable to impose any structure.
This scenario provides a lot of lessons for modern football, reflecting how Madrid often embodies extremes.
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They are now the third club in the Super League to part ways with their head coach within the first 12 days of 2026. What stands apart this time is that Alonso’s appointment was expected to signal a new direction.
In an awareness of football’s evolution, Madrid appeared intent on shifting focus from star players to a more system-oriented approach—not the same method employed by Barcelona, though.
Alonso seemed to be the perfect candidate for this transition, representing a “third way” in tactical evolution while also being a club icon.
Defeat in the Spanish Super Cup was followed a day later by news of Alonso’s departure (Getty Images)
What does this say about Madrid’s ability to adapt if their traditional resistance surfaces after just a few months and some missteps? How can a club evolve its practices without demonstrating any patience?
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“It’s Madrid,” chuckled a source familiar with the locker room dynamics after the customary “official statement” was released. “You lose, you’re out.”
Some things indeed remain constant.
Nonetheless, many sources argue it wasn’t solely Madrid’s institutional resistance at play but rather Alonso himself. One insider plainly stated, “Nobody liked him.” Although this sentiment may stem from a faction within the dressing room, it’s evident that Alonso struggled to connect with the team from the outset. His strategies failed to resonate.
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He reportedly “lost the dressing room” early in his tenure, seemingly out of sync with certain personalities. Yet, in such a dynamic, it often goes both ways. Alonso was perceived as diverging from his own beliefs, which led to critiques of a lack of decisive leadership, aligning with sentiments once expressed by Pep Guardiola. Some insiders highlight that Alonso joined under the assumption he would have a player like Martin Zubimendi to stabilize the squad, but without such a figure, there was immediate disconnection between team and tactics.
Alonso appeared to want to move away from the ‘Galactico’ system of stars (Getty Images)
This perception led some to believe Alonso shifted his focus to younger players—like Franco Mastantuono, Arda Guler, and Gonzalo Garcia—who are often easier to influence. However, in Madrid, such choices can be politically charged, especially given that star players were signed for commercial purposes.
Vinicius Junior has been particularly noted as being caught in this dilemma, which only amplified the significance of his impressive goal in the Super Cup.
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The Madrid hierarchy has voiced concerns about the apparent dichotomy in Alonso’s tactical vision, depicting a team either retreating defensively—a strategy that seems beneath Madrid’s standards—or becoming disorganized, overly reliant on Thibaut Courtois to prevent goals and Mbappe to score, leaving players like Vinicius merely facilitating play through speed.
The peak of this disarray was marked by a home defeat against Manchester City, after which Alonso is said to have been on borrowed time.
Rumblings of profound physical conditioning issues have also echoed those seen during Enzo Maresca’s tenure at Chelsea, as reported in the Spanish press.
Insiders say he lost the dressing room early in his tenure (Getty Images)
Amidst all of this, Madrid exemplifies the major themes currently pervasive in football, amplifying them with their own unique “Galactico” flair. This situation highlights the ongoing tension between the coach’s authority and the executive’s influence, distinct from the more modern approaches adopted by “lesser” clubs.
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However, these very idiosyncrasies might mitigate the impact of Alonso’s dismissal on his future career trajectory.
He is likely to be viewed differently than Ruben Amorim. Other clubs will focus on his accomplishments at Bayer Leverkusen rather than the entrenched narrative associated with the Bernabeu. A prominent figure from a leading club described him as “still on par with Arne Slot or Mikel Arteta—someone who has elite potential.”
In summary, a notable name has surfaced in the managerial market ahead of a period when many significant clubs will be seeking leadership. Manchester United has shown interest in him previously. What about Slot?
This situation modifies the coaching market, all the while Madrid remains unchanged.