Xabi Alonso transitioned in just six months from being seen as the solution to Real Madrid’s problems to facing dismissal. Concerns over inconsistent results and alleged unrest within the dressing room reportedly contributed to his departure. Although only eight days have passed since he left, five-time Champions League winner Gareth Bale has already voiced his candid opinion on the reasons behind the Spanish coach’s abrupt exit.
“He is an incredible coach. He has won what he has won at Bayer Leverkusen, he has lifted trophies… But when you arrive at Real Madrid, you do not need to be a coach, you need to be a manager. You need to manage the egos in the dressing room… You have to take care of those egos. There is no need to do so many tactical things. In the dressing room there are superstars who can change matches in the blink of an eye,” Bale said, via TNT Sports.
Even though Xabi Alonso excelled at Bayer Leverkusen, he displayed an impressive talent for working with young players, even though he didn’t manage superstars. Far from being a simple task, and it’s precisely Carlo Ancelotti’s greatest strength, which makes him one of the best in history. Furthermore, Real Madrid’s players had little time to adjust from a more flexible coach to a rigid one, where tactical brilliance dominated and led to the disconnect of several stars.
Not only did Bale speak about the differences between Ancelotti and Xabi, but captain Dani Carvajal also offered his insights: “Each coach has his own methodology… with Carletto, we had much more freedom in that sense of, well, you came out a little later, although he got angry with us. Xabi is a little more upfront, with more discipline,” he noted at the beginning of the season, hinting that the change was abrupt and quite harsh.
Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid, gives instructions to Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid’s most successful coaches of last decade differ greatly from Xabi
Real Madrid, after Jose Mourinho’s tough and lackluster spell, took a chance on Carlo Ancelotti from PSG. Though many were unconvinced, he led the team to a brilliant era, winning three Champions Leagues and ending a long drought. Following the Italian, Zinedine Zidane took over, securing three consecutive Champions League titles and solidifying their most successful era. While Xabi Alonso promised success, his profile differed from that of previous coaches.
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Both Ancelotti and Zidane share a very similar managerial profile, as both operate more as managers, controlling egos and temperaments within the dressing room. It does not mean that they lack tactical impact, but it is not their main priority, as several former players have revealed. This stands in sharp contrast to Xabi Alonso’s profile, as he is a coach far more focused on the tactical side and has shown that man-management is not his strongest attribute.
Far from being a poor coach, Xabi Alonso arrived at a team—Real Madrid—that required a very different profile from the one he could offer. In addition, he was not given the time to fully develop his ideas, something that drew heavy criticism from supporters. Nevertheless, the Spaniard remains one of the most promising coaches in the game and could take charge of another club in the 2026–27 season, looking to put this difficult experience behind him.
