Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso was the manager of Real Madrid until recently. He was sacked on January 12, 2026, following a string of poor results culminating in a Supercopa final loss to Barcelona. His tenure also faced off-field issues with players and club management. Prior to his dismissal, Alonso led Real Madrid to the Supercopa final by defeating Atletico Madrid. He also faced the challenge of managing Kylian Mbappe's fitness ahead of the Supercopa final against Barcelona. His replacement is Alvaro Arbeloa, who was promoted from coaching Real Madrid's reserve team, Castilla. The team's first match after Alonso's sacking resulted in a shock Copa del Rey defeat to Albacete, highlighting the challenges facing the new manager. Alonso's departure marks a significant change for Real Madrid as they aim to topple Barcelona for the top spot in La Liga and compete in the Champions League.