Gareth Bale Highlights Critical Mistake Xabi Alonso Made at Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso is out of work just eight months after landing one of the biggest jobs in world football.

It was doomed to fail. | Diego Souto/Getty Images

Gareth Bale said it wasn’t a “surprise” to see Xabi Alonso leave Real Madrid so soon after joining the club, admitting his ex-teammate made the mistake of trying to be a coach rather than a manager during his eight months at the Bernabéu.

Alonso enjoyed great success at former club Bayer Leverkusen, whipping into shape a team that was threatened with relegation when he initially arrived and taking them to a first-ever Bundesliga title the following season in 2023–24. In addition to DFB Pokal success and defeat in the Europa League final, Alonso was one game away from completing an unbeaten treble that year.

The Spaniard achieved it through his coaching and ability as a master tactician. But Bale, who played alongside Alonso for a season in 2013–14, believes that was the wrong approach and “coaching” players at Real Madrid was never going to work.

“It doesn’t surprise me [that he’s gone],” Bale said while appearing on TNT Sports this week.

“I understand perfectly how Real Madrid works, and if the results don’t come—and there don’t have to be many—you’re out,” he added.

“Xabi is an incredible coach. What he did at Bayer Leverkusen ... winning trophies, coaching the team incredibly well. But, when you arrive at Real Madrid, you don’t need to be a coach.

“More than being a coach, you need to manage the egos in the dressing room. You have to calm egos; you don’t need to do a lot of tactical work. You have stars in the dressing room who can change games in the blink of an eye.”

Gareth Bale is clear in his opinion. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Image

The three managers that have enjoyed the most success at Real Madrid in the 21st century—Vicente del Bosque, Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, boasting eight Champions League titles between them with Los Blancos—all have one main thing in common.

None are considered expert tacticians or coaches in the way that Pep Guardiola, Johan Cruyff or Jürgen Klopp might be. But what they share is exceptional man-management skills, the ability to work with egos and command respect.

Despite playing for the club for five years himself, Alonso seems to have missed the brief. He tried to do too much of his own stuff, the things that had brought him success in Germany, and it didn’t align.

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‘Real Madrid Need a Manager Not a Coach’

Vinicius Junior allegedly did not buy into what Alonso wanted. | Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Jamie Carragher, Alonso’s former Liverpool colleague, shared his similar opinion this week.

The retired defender, in his role as a pundit and analyst on CBS coverage of the Champions League, suggested it is “best” for Alonso to have left the Bernabéu.

“He came in with a certain idea, and it quickly became clear that he wasn’t going to be allowed to coach the way he wanted,” Carragher reflected. “That he wasn’t going to be able to build the team the way he wanted. There were problems with certain players who didn’t buy into his ideas.

“It’s better for him. Even if he had won a title, deep down he knew it wasn’t his way of doing things. That he didn’t want to coach Real Madrid like that. It’s probably the best thing for him. They need a manager, not a coach.”

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