In a bombshell that has sent shockwaves through the football world, Real Madrid announced Monday that Xabi Alonso has left his role as head coach with immediate effect, less than 24 hours after a gut-wrenching 3-2 loss to arch-rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Supercopa final in Riyadh. The club issued a terse statement citing "mutual agreement" to end the 48-year-old Spaniard's tenure, praising his "passion and commitment" but offering no further details on the abrupt split. Alonso, who took the reins in June 2025 after Carlo Ancelotti's departure, departs with a mixed bag: 18 wins in 32 La Liga games, but a trophyless run capped by Sunday's derby defeat, where Kylian Mbappé's late brace flipped the script on Real's second-half rally.
The Supercopa final was a microcosm of Alonso's turbulent stint: A dominant first half with goals from Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham gave Real a 2-1 lead, only for Barcelona's relentless press—led by Lamine Yamal's assist and Mbappé's heroics—to expose defensive frailties. Post-match, Alonso's sideline fury at a disallowed Bellingham goal went viral, but whispers of boardroom tension had been swirling for weeks, fueled by a mid-season slump (three straight losses in December) and reported clashes with Florentino Pérez over transfers like a stalled move for Florian Wirtz. Insiders say the final straw was Pérez's ultimatum: Win or walk. Alonso, a Madrid legend as a player (2009-14 UCL triumph), reportedly cited "irreconcilable differences" in private talks, eyeing a potential return to Bayer Leverkusen or even Liverpool.
Real's statement wished Alonso "all the best," but fan reactions on X were a powder keg: #GraciasXabi trended with 500K+ posts praising his attacking flair (team's 78 goals in 32 games), while #PerezOut surged amid fury over the "sacking" of a club icon. With La Liga resuming in five days against Valencia, Pérez must pivot fast—rumors swirl around José Mourinho's return or even a wild card like Roberto De Zerbi. The board's gamble on Alonso, hailed as Zidane 2.0, now looks like a bust, leaving Madrid's 36th La Liga title chase in jeopardy.
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