• Source:JND

Xabi Alonso Leaves Real Madrid: In an interesting turn of events, Real Madrid parted ways with their manager Xabi Alonso midway through the season, as a 2-3 defeat against arch-rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final seems to have created chaos within the Los Blancos' dressing room. Madrid have already named their former player Alvaro Arbeloa as the new head coach of the club.

Amid all the speculations claiming Alonso's possible rift with a few players, a viral video has become a major talking point on social media regarding the whole scenario. In the video, star striker Kylian Mbappe was seen making gestures on the sidelines while the trophy-lifting ceremony was going on in the middle. He was claimed to be advising his teammates and manager Alonso, going against the latter's decision to give Barca a 'Guard of Honour' after their title win.

The video saw fans condemn Mbappe's 'disgraceful' act, with some even suggesting that he didn't give Alonso the respect he deserved. As per the Spanish media, Alonso had lost the dressing room a lot earlier than what turned out on Sunday. There were claims of players not being happy with his ways to command during the Club World Cup last year.

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Interestingly, Mbappe was the first player to bid farewell to Alonso on Monday. Mbappe praised and thanked Alonso in an Instagram story. "It's been short, but it was a pleasure to play for you & learn from you," the France star wrote. "Thank you for giving me the confidence since Day 1. I will remember you as a manager who had clear ideas and knew many things about football. Best of luck for your next chapter."


Was Mbappe's Act The Only Reason Behind Xabi Alonso Leaving Managerial Job At Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso took over the managerial role at his former club, Real Madrid, from Carlo Ancelotti and arrived with an impressive reputation he built during his stint at Bayer Leverkusen. He led Leverkusen to a famous Bundesliga title win and a domestic double in the 2023-24 season. He then took the German club to the Europa League during that season, losing the title to Atlanta.

He kicked off on a promising note at Madrid with impressive performances in the first few matches. However, he couldn't win the Club World Cup title despite being one of the favourites as they lost the semifinal 0-4 against PSG.

Madrid won ten out of their first 11 matches under Alonso. Everything looked smooth, at least on the field, despite some ups and downs in the performances. The Spanish club then lost their UCL match against Liverpool, and it led to a massive dip in their form. They then managed to win two out of their next seven matches. In the meantime, Barcelona displaced them at the top of the La Liga points table and have extended their lead to four points.

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There was another instance that took place earlier this season, clearly displaying the dissatisfaction among both parties with each other. During a match in October, Vinicius was substituted, and the Brazilian star seemed unhappy with Alonso's move before heading into the tunnel. While he later apologised to the club, he pointedly did not apologise to Alonso. Senior players, including Federico Valverde, were reportedly unhappy with Alonso's heavy rotation and his rigid tactical system.

Alonso and his staff reportedly felt undermined when the club failed to sign his main target, Martin Zubimendi, during the summer transfer window, with the Spaniard eventually joining Premier League giants Arsenal. The Los Blancos have witnessed a massive struggle over the past few months in the midfield, deciding not to go for new inclusions following the retirement of Toni Kroos and the departure of Luka Modric. While all of these situations seem to have contributed to the whole conundrum, Alonso is believed to have stepped down from the role after he realised that his tactics and playing style were not going down well among the players.

The 44-year-old might also have felt a bit disrespected by the players. The Madrid legend was mentioned by many as being too ‘above the noise’, almost like a professor, and he needed to get down to the players’ level and get his hands dirty to lead the team. He ‘lacked the warmth of Carlo Ancelotti.


Xabi Alonso's Record At Real Madrid

The former Spain midfielder managed 34 games, winning 24 but losing six. The UCL defeats against Liverpool and Manchester City completely went against him.

"Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his time as first team coach. 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. Real Madrid will always be his home. Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their lives," Real Madrid said in a statement.


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