In his first media appearance following the official announcement of his departure, Spanish coach Xabi Alonso expressed his deep regret on Tuesday for the incompleteness of his coaching project with Real Madrid, a period that lasted only seven months and ended with the mutual decision to leave on Monday, leaving behind widespread controversy about the reasons for this unexpected failure.
Alonso's statements: Honor and responsibility
In a heartfelt farewell message, Alonso wrote: "This chapter of my career has come to an end, and things haven't gone as we hoped. Coaching Real Madrid has been both an honor and a great responsibility." The Spanish maestro added in his statement: "I am grateful to the club, the players, and above all, the fans. I leave with the utmost respect, gratitude, and pride, having given my all.".
From the Leverkusen summit to the Bernabeu stumble
This departure comes as a shock to the sporting world, especially since Alonso arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu with an exceptional coaching legacy, having led Bayer Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title win without a single defeat in the 2023-2024 season. Expectations were high for a new golden era for Real Madrid under the guidance of one of their own, who had worn the club's jersey as a player between 2009 and 2014, but things didn't go as planned.
Behind the scenes of the dismissal: heavy defeats and internal disputes
Results weren't the only factor in this decision; Alonso's tenure was also marred by tensions within the dressing room. Reliable press reports indicated clashes with key players, most notably Uruguayan Federico Valverde and Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior, which negatively impacted team stability.
In terms of results, the Royal team suffered a series of humiliating defeats against Europe's top teams; the team fell to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup, and received painful blows from Liverpool and Manchester City in the Champions League, in addition to losing to local rival Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
League decline and uncertain future
Despite a strong start that saw Alonso (44 years old) lead the team to the top of the league, five points ahead of Barcelona, November and December witnessed a collapse in results, as he achieved only one victory in five matches, causing the team to drop to second place, four points behind defending champions Barcelona.
While Real Madrid closes the chapter on Alonso, the team is preparing to face Albacete in the King's Cup on Wednesday, amid public anticipation to find out who the new captain of the royal ship will be.
