The day after the Super Cup defeat to Barcelona, Xabi Alonso left the club and was replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa.
Published January 12, 2026
Real Madrid announced on Monday that Xabi Alonso has resigned as head coach “by mutual consent” and that Álvaro Arbeloa has been promoted from the role of manager of the club’s reserve team Castilla to replace him.
The news comes a day after Real Madrid lost 3-2 to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
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Alonso, 44, had less than a year left on the three-year contract he signed last summer to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
“Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, he has decided to end his tenure as first-team coach,” the football team said in a statement.
“Xabi Alonso is a Real Madrid legend and will always command the love and admiration of all Real Madrid fans because he has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.”
“Our club would like to thank Xabi Alonso and his entire coaching staff for their work and dedication during this time and wish them all the best in this new phase of their lives.”
Madrid won 10 of their first 11 La Liga games under Alonso, but rumors about Alonso’s position increased as the club struggled to finish 2025 with losses to Liverpool, Celta Vigo and Manchester City, with reports of falling outs with some players.
That included public complaints about star forward Vinicius Junior being substituted, and reports that other players had taken issue with Alonso’s style.
Madrid have fallen to second place in the domestic standings, but are in a good position in the UEFA Champions League with four wins from six games under coach Alonso.
Former midfielder Alonso, who played for Madrid from 2009 to 2014, returned to the club last summer after 18 months at Bayer Leverkusen and will lead the club to their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2024.
He will be replaced by 42-year-old Arbeloa, a former right-back who made 238 appearances during his seven years at the club.
