Xabi Alonso managed to impress fans with the impact he made upon arriving at Real Madrid. Even so, poor handling of internal locker-room issues hasn’t helped the team. They’ve even lost the top spot in LaLiga, piling up a string of bad results that have put the newly arrived Spanish coach on the hot seat. As his potential departure looms, Los Blancos are reportedly targeting a surprising candidate to take charge of the team.
According to Diario Marca, Xabi Alonso has reportedly lost influence in the Real Madrid dressing room due to his handling of the incident involving Vinicius Junior during El Clásico. The club’s decision not to fine the Brazilian for the act of indiscipline has left Alonso in a vulnerable position. As a result, the Spanish coach has allegedly shifted from tactically managing the team to managing egos, which the front office had not anticipated.
Given the tense atmosphere in the locker room and the team’s inconsistent performance, Mario Cortegana reported in The Athletic that Xabi Alonso’s tenure could be in jeopardy if he loses the upcoming Champions League match against Manchester City. In this scenario, Real Madrid have reportedly set their sights on Álvaro Arbeloa, the current coach of Real Madrid Castilla, as a possible replacement, echoing their previous decision with Zinedine Zidane.
Arbeloa may not be among the most lauded coaches, but his work at Real Madrid positions him as a strong candidate. Unlike Raúl González, he advocates for an offensive playing style combined with robust defensive pressing reminiscent of José Mourinho’s approach. He has not only developed talents like Nico Paz, Álex Jiménez, and Gonzalo García but has also adeptly managed the strong personality of Iker Bravo, who regards him as the best coach he’s ever had.
Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid C. F., speaks to his players during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
Zinedine Zidane and Jurgen Klopp are not an option for Real Madrid
Given the potential departure of Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid, the names of Zinedine Zidane and Jürgen Klopp emerged as candidates to take over the team, reports The Athletic. Although the front office supposedly did consider them as priorities, the inquiries made to the entourages of both delivered a major setback to Los Blancos’ intentions, making the focus shift toward Arbeloa as the main candidate.
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Xabi Alonso seems to be facing problems: Some Real Madrid players reportedly keep growing doubts with the coach
While Zidane is an absolute legend at Real Madrid, he would not be willing to return to coach the team right now because he is focused on his potential move to France, with whom he has a pre-agreement to take over after the 2026 World Cup, reports Mario Cortegana. Likewise, the German coach Klopp says he is very comfortable as global head of soccer at Red Bull, far from the day-to-day coaching, something he says he does not miss, according to The Athletic.
