Less than eight months after returning to Santiago Bernabeu as head coach, Xabi Alonso had to say goodbye to Real Madrid following a bitter defeat against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. However, experts believe the underlying reasons are not solely due to this recent loss.
Xabi Alonso left when his philosophy didn't fit with Real Madrid 's identity.
Alonso arrived at Real Madrid with a stellar reputation after his remarkable achievements with Bayer Leverkusen. In the Bundesliga, the Spanish strategist built a high-pressing, cohesive, and disciplined team capable of overthrowing Bayern Munich 's dominance.
However, as Gaizka Mendieta, a former Valencia star, frankly stated, the philosophy that helped Alonso succeed in Germany is a type of football that "never existed" at Real Madrid.
Historically, "Los Blancos" have never been a team known for synchronized pressing or collective defense. They win through moments of brilliance, through exceptional stars, and through the ability to explode at the right time, rather than through a rigid, mechanical tactical structure.
Alonso wanted a Real Madrid that controlled space, maintained team shape, and defended from deep. But he inherited a team built around top superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham. Therefore, asking everyone to sacrifice for the system was no easy task. And it seems that the "White Eagles" never played the way Alonso wanted. It's no longer a matter of individual tactics, but of the club's identity.
Nevertheless, the Spanish strategist did not fail completely. Kylian Mbappe posted on Instagram thanking Alonso for instilling confidence in him from the very beginning. Arda Guler affirmed that the former Bayer Leverkusen manager helped him mature faster. These expressions of gratitude show that Alonso is a coach with vision, depth of expertise, and the ability to develop players, something not every coach at Real Madrid possesses.
"Los Blancos" are a team that wins through moments of brilliance from its stars.
But at Bernabeu, as with most other big clubs, time is a luxury. When results didn't meet expectations and his playing style failed to convince the management, Alonso had to leave. Faced with this sudden change, "Los Blancos" immediately reverted to their familiar choice: Alvaro Arbeloa, the coach of Real Madrid's Castilla youth team and someone who had spent his entire coaching career at the "Los Blancos" youth academy.
Perhaps Mendieta was right when he said that Xabi Alonso would never succeed at Real Madrid. The reason wasn't because he was incompetent, but because the Spanish royal club has never been ideal ground for coaches who pursue a philosophy of absolute control and discipline.
For the 44-year-old manager, the Bernabeu may have closed too soon, but his journey is far from over. Liverpool legend John Arne Riise believes that one day, his "old home" Anfield will be the place where Alonso's philosophy is given enough time to flourish.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/real-madrid-khong-danh-cho-xabi-alonso-196260113164646113.htm
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