Xabi Alonso: Real Madrid head coach leaves club and is replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid have parted company with Xabi Alonso and replaced him with Alvaro Arbeloa; decision comes a day after Real lost to Barcelona in Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia; Real are second in LaLiga, four points behind Barcelona and seventh in the Champions League
Monday 12 January 2026 20:49, UK
Xabi Alonso has left his position as head coach of Real Madrid after just seven months in the role.
Alvaro Arbeloa, who has been coach of Real Madrid's B team since June 2025 - and also spent the last six years working with the academy - has been named as Alonso's replacement.
Real announced Alonso's departure just a day after the club's defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.
Alonso departs with Real also second in the LaLiga table, four points behind leaders Barcelona at the midway stage of the campaign.
The Spanish giants are also seventh in the Champions League table having won four our of their six games, losing the other two.
A Real Madrid statement announced the club had parted ways with Alonso, who also had a stellar playing career at the club, via "mutual agreement".
The statement continued: "Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.
"Our club thanks Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their lives."
Alonso was hired by Real in the summer as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement - after guiding Bayer Leverkusen to the German league and cup double against the odds in 2024.
He was previously linked to the Liverpool job when Jurgen Klopp announced he would leave Anfield in the same year - but opted to stay at Leverkusen for another season before moving to Madrid.
Who is new Real Madrid head coach Arbeloa?
Arbeloa has been head coach of Real Madrid Castilla - the club's B team - since the start of this season.
The 42-year-old was previously a coach in Real's academy, having a particularly good spell with the club's Juvenil A side - the Under-19s squad.
In the 2022-23 season, Arbeloa guided the Juvenil team to the treble - winning their league, Copa del Rey tournament and the Champions Cup title - and won another league title with the team last season.
Arbeloa was also a Real Madrid player - and was a former team-mate of Alonso's at both the Spanish giants, the Spain national team and also Liverpool.
Former Real president surprised by Alonso departure
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon speaking to Sky Sports News:
"It has come as a surprise, at least to me. We lost the Super Cup final against Barcelona, but we didn't play a bad match. We could've won that match or at least got a draw.
"To win is an obligation. To be on that bench is very difficult. I don't know if it is the right decision.
"Maybe when he came doubts were coming from the President. I don't know why because the contract was for three years. Maybe the result against Manchester City and then against Barcelona has made the decision.
"I don't think replacing him with Arbeloa is going to improve things too much. The players are the same as the ones Xabi had, but it is true in football that it is easier to fire one person than 22.
"It is true that with [Zinedine] Zidane it happened in the same way. He was coaching our team in the third tier and then was able to win three Champions League's in a row.
"I think the problem has been poor planning. We had Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in midfield. Perhaps the best midfield in the world. Now, those players are not with us anymore and maybe we should've found someone to be in that midfield.
"We have the best striker in the world in [Kylian Mbappe]. We have the best goalkeeper. But, in my opinion, the problem is the midfield."
Is Alonso destined for Premier League? Where did it all go wrong?
Sky Sports News' Mark McAdam:
"I think the Liverpool hierarchy would avoid at all costs making a managerial change during the season. There is still a Champions League to play for.
"There are still things that Arne Slot could achieve this season. If he does the double, people won't be talking about him departing Liverpool. People will be talking about backing him.
"What this does with Xabi Alonso is that it will put a number of clubs on red alert as he is the type of manager who could be top six material.
"There's a lot of talk about Pep Guardiola. What happens if Mikel Arteta doesn't deliver a trophy at Arsenal?
"He could potentially go, and you miss that opportunity. After eight months at Real Madrid, they are four points behind a financially unstable Barcelona. They lost in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona. That is not acceptable.
"He is still very green. Despite the 14 major trophies. Despite the World Cup and two European Championships, he's still very new as a coach.
"Clearly, the philosophy he has when it comes to playing the game didn't work for Real Madrid. Why would it work for Liverpool? Why would it work for Manchester United?"
