Real Madrid have ended Xabi Alonso’s brief spell in charge, parting ways with the head coach after a little more than seven months and appointing Álvaro Arbeloa as his replacement.
Alonso’s exit comes in the wake of Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, a result that added to growing pressure with Madrid also sitting four points behind their rivals at the top of La Liga. The club described the separation as a mutual decision.
Arbeloa, a former Madrid defender, has been promoted from the club’s B team, a role he took on last June. He has been part of the Madrid coaching structure since 2020, working across academy levels before stepping up to Castilla.
Alonso formally began the job on 1 June following a high-profile period in Germany, where he guided Bayer Leverkusen to the domestic double in the 2023–24 season and reached the Europa League final.
His start in Madrid included a run to the Club World Cup semi-finals, followed by a strong early sequence in league play, winning 13 of 14 matches, though that stretch also featured a heavy derby loss to Atlético Madrid.
Momentum shifted after a defeat at Liverpool on 4 November, which was followed by a difficult run of just two wins in eight games. Even though Madrid later recovered with a five-match winning streak, the rebound was not enough to satisfy the club’s decision-makers.
In a statement, Real Madrid thanked Alonso and his staff for their work and commitment, describing him as a club legend and stressing that he retains the admiration of supporters, while wishing him well for the next stage of his career.
