Real Madrid Sacks Alonso, Names New Manager Arbeloa

Real Madrid Announces Departure of Xabi Alonso as Manager

Real Madrid has announced that Xabi Alonso, the club’s manager, will be leaving his position “by mutual consent”. Alonso, 44, had been in charge for less than a year, having signed a three-year contract last summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti. The club has promoted Alvaro Arbeloa from coaching the reserve team to take over Alonso’s role.

Alonso’s departure comes after a disappointing performance in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona on Sunday, where Real Madrid lost 3-2. This loss was seen as a significant setback for the club, and it is believed that Alonso’s tenure has come to an end due to this result.

In recent months, Alonso had struggled with the team’s form, including a patchy run in La Liga and a UEFA Champions League defeat at Liverpool. The team’s results had improved more recently, but performances did not convince the management.

Alonso had previously managed Bayer Leverkusen, where he achieved significant success, including a Bundesliga victory and a German Cup triumph. However, his experience with Real Madrid was short-lived, and it is unclear what factors contributed to his departure.

The club’s president, Florentino Perez, has been instrumental in Alonso’s downfall, according to experts. The loss to Barcelona in the Super Cup final was seen as a major mistake by Perez, who had expected the team to win silverware against their arch-rivals.

Alonso’s public disagreement with star forward Vinicius Junior also played a role in his departure. The row began during a recent El Clasico victory over Barcelona, where Vinicius Junior stormed off the pitch after being substituted by Alonso.

The club has announced that Arbeloa will take over as manager, and it remains to be seen how this change will impact Real Madrid’s performance in the future.

Source: Al Jazeera