‘Bombshell’—When Real Madrid Decided to Sack Xabi Alonso Revealed

The Spaniard lasted 232 days in charge of Real Madrid.

Xabi Alonso failed to deliver in his first final on the touchline for Real Madrid. / Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press/Getty Images

Real Madrid decided to part ways with Xabi Alonso following a meeting with the Spaniard held in the aftermath of the Spanish Super Cup final, a report has revealed.

After suffering a 3–2 defeat against Barcelona on Sunday, Los Blancos departed Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with the embarrassment of losing their third final in a row to their bitter rivals. The 15-time European champions landed back in Madrid in the early hours of Monday morning.

According to AS, a few hours later, a meeting was held at Valdebebas, where Alonso met with the club’s management. The Spaniard’s “weariness with the situation” was obvious after spending the last few months under fire due to Real Madrid’s poor string of results.

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The club soon expressed their “well-known” doubts with Alonso and his project; after all, the Spanish giants lost to nearly every big team they played—Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City and now Barcelona—since the 44-year-old took over in June.

Although Alonso is not solely to blame for those blunders, the meeting ended with the decision to relieve him of his duties. Real Madrid later put out a statement confirming the change in leadership and also named Álvaro Arbeloa as the next person to try their luck in perhaps the toughest position in the sport.

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Alonso’s Sudden Exit Led to ‘Internal Shock’

Xabi Alonso leaves Real Madrid after seven months in charge. Gone. pic.twitter.com/iGfFK38WnX

— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) January 12, 2026

It was no secret that Alonso’s job was potentially at risk if he failed to bring home the Spanish Super Cup title. Yet such a swift dismissal sent shockwaves throughout the club.

AS report the “bombshell” was felt “behind closed doors.” Although the Monday meeting between Alonso and the club’s management was well-known, “no one imagined what it would unleash.”

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Now, after just 34 matches on the touchline of his former club, Alonso finds himself without a job, replaced by a man who has never managed a single top-flight match.

Support for Alonso poured in from Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde. The club also sent its former player off with a heartfelt message, hailing the 44-year-old as a “legend of Real Madrid.”

It will be down to the superstars in white, though, to muster a response on the pitch in the second half of the season if Los Blancos want to snag a major trophy.

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