The images spread quickly after the Spanish Super Cup final. Kylian Mbappé motioning for his teammates to walk off the pitch. Xabi Alonso asking him to stay. Mbappé refusing. And finally, the coach turning away and allowing it to happen. No guard of honour for Barcelona, just a tense scene that told a bigger story.
To many, it looked like a lack of sportsmanship. To others, it hinted at something deeper — a dressing room where the star players held more power than the manager. Less than eight months after taking charge, Xabi Alonso’s time at Real Madrid was over.
The club called it a “mutual agreement.” In reality, it was a separation that had been brewing for months.
A Coach Without Control
Behind the scenes, disagreements between Alonso and the club had been growing. By Monday afternoon, the Real Madrid board met with one clear agenda: deciding his future. The explanations delivered to Alonso’s camp were vague but telling. He hadn’t implemented his preferred style. The team’s fitness levels were questioned. Player development was criticized. The squad, they suggested, didn’t look like it was playing for him.
Specific defeats were cited — heavy losses to Atlético Madrid in La Liga and Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup. Yet Madrid remained competitive: top eight in the Champions League phase, still alive in the Copa del Rey, and only four points behind Barcelona in the league. Hardly a collapse.
But the truth was simpler. Florentino Pérez never fully bought into Alonso’s project. He had been appointed, but without full conviction. At Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso won the squad over with results. At Madrid, even respectable performances weren’t enough. From the beginning, he felt isolated.
Taking over Real Madrid is football’s toughest job. Transforming a club built on individual stardom into a modern, collective pressing team requires total backing. Alonso never received it. His authority was undermined early — he wanted to start after the Club World Cup, was ignored, and had little say in squad planning.
Dressing Room Cracks and Missed Support
The problems only grew. New signings failed to make an impact. Vinícius Júnior’s loss of form turned into visible frustration, including public reactions to substitutions. Contract talks stalled. Injuries decimated the defense. Alonso asked for a controlling midfielder — specifically Martín Zubimendi — and didn’t get one.
Leadership within the squad was thin. Federico Valverde focused on positional preferences. Mbappé chased goal records while managing recurring injuries. No one truly unified the group.
Most importantly, Alonso never convinced the players that his methods were the way forward. Without belief from the dressing room, his signature high-pressing, structured system never took root. And without that identity, his project collapsed before it could begin.
What Comes Next for Alonso and Madrid
Now Alonso must decide his next move. Those close to him believe the departure, though painful, may feel like relief. The fit simply wasn’t right. Yet Europe’s top clubs are watching closely — many would welcome him if the opportunity arises.
For Real Madrid, the pattern feels familiar. A club that limits its managers, protects its power structure, and quietly prepares for dismissals long before they become public.
Next in line is Álvaro Arbeloa, the Castilla coach and a loyal club figure. But if a respected tactician like Xabi Alonso couldn’t reshape Madrid’s culture, Arbeloa faces an enormous challenge.
If Madrid finish the season without trophies, critics will feel vindicated. If they somehow lift silverware, the conclusion will be the same as always.
Some managers fit certain clubs. And some clubs, like Real Madrid, refuse to be managed at all.
