Since his announcement as the new Real Madrid manager, Xabi Alonso’s term has been filled with speculation. Today, he is backed by Real Madrid’s board, and the next day, he is in the news for likely being fired.
It is as if his future is not sure at Real Madrid anymore. Well, he has valid reasons to think that way. This article will share the reasons.
In this post, you’ll be reading four reasons why Xabi will not be at Real Madrid next season. Let’s get started.
Why Xabi Alonso Will Not Be At Real Madrid Next Season
Here are four reasons why we think Xabi Alonso will not be Real Madrid’s manager next season:
1. Losing Dressing Room Reports
At Real Madrid, the dressing room is very important for the manager to succeed. This is because at Real Madrid, the dressing room is filled with players with serious influence. When things begin to go south in the team, the players in the dressing room are the ones who would be the first to speak out.
Well, this season there have been reports that coach Xabi Alonso may have lost the dressing room at Real Madrid. In recent weeks, there have been reports of Vinicius talking back at the coach when he was substituted.
According to the recordings available, the words used by Vinicius were insulting words that should not have been said to his manager. Later, Vinicius also caused controversy again when he removed his Instagram photo with the Real Madrid jersey for a picture with a Brazil National Team jersey.
Aside from Vinicius, Rodrygo was also rumored to be furious with Xabi Alonso. There were reports from the Spanish media that Rodrygo was frustrated on the bench and was seeking to leave the club. These are just some examples of reports heard that suggest that Xabi Alonso may have lost the dressing room at Real Madrid.
For Real Madrid, this situation has occurred many times before. We recall how coaches like Julen Lopetegui and Rafael Benítez lost player confidence early when they were managers at Real Madrid.
As a result, the two coaches spent only a short time at Real Madrid during their tenure. Looking at this, this is just an indicator that the same thing may happen to Xabi Alonso by the end of the season.
2. Real Madrid is a Short-Term Club
Another reason why Xabi Alonso might not last in the Real Madrid job is due to the target focus of Real Madrid. Unlike where Xabi Alonso came from, Real Madrid does not really believe in long rebuilding phases.
This means that anything less than a Champions League or League trophy is regarded as a failure in Real Madrid’s book. As a result, this could result in Xabi Alonso, who is a long-term manager, not being able to last a long time in the Real Madrid coaching scene.
Xabi Alonso’s type of football is for his team to maintain possession throughout the match and control the spaces in the game. Now, this type of football takes a long time to perfect.
As a result, there are likely to be mistakes occurring in matches under his watch. When these mistakes result in goals that eliminate Real Madrid in competitions, it could lead to him being relieved of his job.
Over time, we’ve seen how Real Madrid have sacked managers who finished second in the La Liga league race or even made the semi-finals of the Champions League.
All of these show that Real Madrid is not a patient club when it comes to coaches. Without delivering coaches right from the first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, it could be disastrous.
3. No Room for Experiments at Real Madrid
Real Madrid is not a club known to welcome coaches who are used to experimenting. Though it is really admired when it results in winning, when it backfires, the reaction from the Real Madrid board and media can be ruthless.
In fact, the Real Madrid media are designed to ensure that every mistake made is overly analysed by critics and pundits. As a result, this could sow a seed of doubt in the mind of even genuine supporters of the club.
With Xabi Alonso in charge, experimenting is always something that is welcome. Even at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso regularly asks his players to change pressing patterns and even makes surprising chances in the middle of the game.
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Of course, this always shows that a manager knows what he is doing. However, one wrong tactical experiment can result in a loss to the team.
Real Madrid’s history shows that coaches who tried to experiment have paid the price when the tables turned against them.
This could even get worse if the experiment led to a huge embarrassment in the hands of their rival in the El Clásico games. For Xabi Alonso, this is a serious risk him. To be honest, it would be extremely difficult to see how he would come out of this successfully.
4. Reliance on Mbappe May Backfire
In the La Liga 2025/2026 season, we’ve seen Xabi Alonso leave the goal-scoring duties for Kylian Mbappe. Kylian Mbappe indeed is one of the most talented footballers at the moment but building the team around him can be a very bad risk.
Well, this is what Xabi Alonso has done this season. In fact, in some matches, it seems that if Kylian Mbappe doesn’t turn up, other players reduce their efficiency.
Aside from the fact that reliance on Kylian Mbappe can turn the dressing room against Xabi Alonso, it also proves the flaw in Xabi Alonso’s tactics.
This means that if Xabi Alonso is injured or suspended, Real Madrid would find it difficult to score or gain three points. Well, this has happened in the past with the previous Real Madrid teams.
For Xabi Alonso, this creates a trap for him to avoid. The trap happens in the sense that whenever the team succeeds, Mbappe gets the credit. If it fails, Xabi Alonso is accused of relying on the individual brilliance of his players.
Conclusion
You’ll agree that Xabi Alonso is one coach who has huge potential. Yes, his work at Bayer Leverkusen can never be forgotten in a short time. However, when it comes to Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso must prove himself once again. This is because the noise in Real Madrid can be, at times, distracting. However, he needs to prove that he is up to the task. If he succeeds, he could end up as one of Real Madrid’s greatest managers. But if he doesn’t, it could mean a downgrade in his career.