Xabi Alonso will always be a Real Madrid legend. As a player, the former Spanish defensive midfielder recorded 6 goals and 31 assists in 236 appearances, winning six major trophies, highlighted by the 2014 UEFA Champions League. After retirement, Alonso took a measured coaching path — Real Madrid’s youth setup, Real Sociedad B, then Bayer Leverkusen, where he elevated the club to historic heights with a 51-match unbeaten run.
That résumé made his return to the Bernabéu feel inevitable.
With a squad overflowing with elite talent — Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, and Thibaut Courtois — Madridistas believed Alonso was the right figure to lead the club into its next era. And early on, the numbers backed it up.
A Blistering Start
Real Madrid opened the 2025–26 season flying. Across Alonso’s first 14 matches, Madrid went 13-0-1, winning 93% of their games. They averaged 2.4 goals scored per match while conceding just 0.8, looking balanced, controlled, and authoritative. The football was structured and modern — high pressing, patient buildup, and clarity of roles.
For a moment, it looked like the perfect marriage of legend and club.
The Drop Below Madrid’s Line
Then came the regression — and at Real Madrid, regression is unforgivable.
Over the last 14 matches, Madrid fell to a 7-3-4 record, with their win rate dropping to 50%. Goals scored dipped to 1.9 per game, while goals conceded jumped to 1.4. The margins narrowed. Control turned into vulnerability.
Across Alonso’s full tenure — 34 matches, a 24-4-6 record, 72 goals scored, 38 conceded, and 2.24 points per match — the résumé still reads as strong. At almost any other club, it would signal success.
At Real Madrid, it wasn’t enough.
Where It Unraveled
The issue wasn’t one single result, but a collection of moments that chipped away at belief. A Supercopa defeat to archrival Barcelona. Champions League losses to Manchester City and Liverpool. A damaging 2–0 home loss to Celta Vigo. An unacceptable 5–2 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid. Even Vinícius Júnior’s public frustration after being substituted in October’s Clásico hinted at tension beneath the surface.
Most damning of all: zero trophies. At a club defined by silverware, performance without hardware is merely tolerated — briefly.
A Farewell, Not a Failure
Xabi Alonso’s dismissal after just 233 days says less about his quality and more about Madrid’s ruthless standards. This is a club that has moved on from trophy-winning managers before. For a former legend, the spotlight burned even hotter.
His farewell reflected who he is: calm, composed, and dignified. No bitterness. No excuses.
In a short span, Alonso proved he belongs among Europe’s elite managers. He handled a star-studded dressing room, implemented a clear tactical identity, and delivered consistency — until Madrid’s standards demanded perfection.
Real Madrid will move forward, as they always do.
So will Xabi Alonso.
This wasn’t a failure. It was a reminder that at the Bernabéu, even fast starts and promising projects can fall below the line — and that sometimes, a short chapter is merely the prelude to something bigger.
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