Real Madrid sack Xabi Alonso hours after a 3–2 defeat by Barcelona in the Super Cup final, ending his brief tenure by mutual agreement, the club said

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol on Monday announced that it has sacked Xabi Alonso as first-team manager by mutual agreement, just hours after a 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah.

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The club confirmed the decision in a statement posted on its official X account, saying that it had agreed with the 43-year-old Spaniard to end his time in charge.

“Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club,” the statement said, adding that the club wished him well.

The abrupt departure came barely a day after Madrid had announced Alonso’s appointment as successor to Carlo Ancelotti, who is set to take charge of the Brazilian national team.

The club had said Alonso would officially begin his three-year contract on 1 June and lead the side into the Club World Cup.

Madrid had secured Alonso from Bayer Leverkusen, where he guided the German club to a remarkable league and cup double in the 2023–24 season without losing a league match, a feat that made him one of Europe’s most coveted young coaches.

Alonso, a former Madrid midfielder, made 236 appearances for the club between 2009 and 2014, winning six trophies during that spell.

His return as manager had been seen as a symbolic and strategic move to restore stability after a turbulent campaign.

Ancelotti’s final season in charge yielded only minor silverware, with Madrid losing both domestic cup finals to Barcelona, exiting the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Arsenal and surrendering the La Liga title to their arch-rivals.

The defeat in Jeddah, sealed by a late Barcelona goal, appeared to be the decisive blow that ended Alonso’s brief and ill-fated reign before it had formally begun, underlining the ruthless expectations at the Bernabéu.

Despite the upheaval, Madrid still boast significant attacking firepower, led by Kylian Mbappé, who scored 31 league goals last season and is on course for the European Golden Shoe.

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Whoever replaces Alonso now faces the formidable task of rebuilding Madrid’s defensive solidity while preserving their attacking edge, a balancing act that has undone more than one coach before him.