By Ghazali Ibrahim
Real Madrid have announced the departure of head coach Xabi Alonso following the club’s 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup (Supercopa de España) final held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, replacing him with ex-teammate, Alvaro Arbeola.
Alonso’s exit comes less than eight months after he took over at the Spanish giants.
The decision was confirmed by the club on January 12, 2026, with Madrid stating that the parting was by mutual agreement. The 43‑year‑old, who returned to Real Madrid as manager in June 2025 after a successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen, leaves behind a mixed tenure that began with promise but eventually lost momentum.
During his time in charge, Alonso led Real Madrid to 24 wins, 4 draws and 5 defeats across all competitions. Despite a strong start to the season, inconsistent results and the high‑profile Supercopa defeat where Barcelona clinched the trophy with a winning goal accelerated pressure on the former midfielder.
In an official statement, the club expressed gratitude for Alonso’s efforts and confirmed that Álvaro Arbeloa, a former Real Madrid player and long‑time coach within the club’s youth system, will take over as head coach.
Arbeloa’s appointment is seen as a fresh start amid high expectations from fans and club leadership.
Alonso’s departure marks one of the more surprising coaching exits in European football this season, and his next steps including possible links to clubs in the English Premier League are already the subject of speculation among pundits and supporters.
