Xabi Alonso’s tenure as Real Madrid head coach has come to an end after just 232 days in the dugout.
The 44-year-old has left the Santiago Bernabeu by mutual consent following a narrow 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final. Despite arriving with huge expectations after his historic success with Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso struggled to replicate that midas touch in the Spanish capital.
While his record of 24 wins from 34 matches appears strong on paper, the pressure had been mounting for weeks. Los Blancos currently sit four points adrift of Barcelona in the La Liga title race, and sections of the Madrid faithful had already voiced their’ discontent during a 2-0 home defeat to Celta Vigo in December.
In an official statement, the club said: “Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend. Our club thanks Xabi and his technical team for their dedication and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their lives.”
Real Madrid have moved instantly to fill the void, confirming that former right-back Alvaro Arbeloa will step up from his role with the reserve team to take over as permanent manager.
However, Alonso may not be out of work for long as the race for his signature is already heating up. Immediately following the announcement, bookmakers slashed the odds on Alonso making a sensational return to the Premier League.
Liverpool have been installed as the 13/8 favourites to land their former midfield maestro. Although Arne Slot remains in the hotseat at Anfield, Alonso’s availability is expected to put top-flight clubs across Europe on high alert, especially after he recently hinted that a return to England could be on the cards in the future.