MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid pulled the trigger and replaced Xabi Alonso with B team manager Álvaro Arbeloa on Monday.
Madrid said Alonso left by mutual agreement but it followed a tumultuous stint that lasted less than eight months and came a day after Madrid lost to Barcelona 3-2 in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Alonso was immediately replaced by Arbeloa — they were teammates for Madrid, Liverpool and Spain and won the World Cup together in 2010.
“Real Madrid wishes to announce that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to bring his time as first team coach to an end,” a statement said. “Xabi Alonso will always carry the affection and admiration of all Madridistas because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.”
The club also thanked Alonso’s coaching staff.
Alonso arrived last May under high expectations as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement and pressure built as the team struggled to play well under his command. He had spats with players such as Vinícius Júnior and widespread media reports said he lost control of the locker room.
Vinícius, and others, complained more than once of being substituted by the coach during matches. Some players publicly supported the coach late last year but the situation didn’t appear to improve much.
After Sunday’s loss in Jeddah, Alonso appeared to want his team to do a guard of honor for Barcelona during the awards ceremony but Kylian Mbappé and other players called him back and walked away.
Mbappé was the first player to bid farewell to Alonso on Monday. Mbappé praised and thanked Alonso in an Instagram story that accompanied a photo of him and the coach saluting each other.
“It’s been short but it was a pleasure to play for you & learn from you,” the France star wrote. “Thank you for giving me the confidence since Day 1. I will remember you as a manager who had clear ideas and knows many things about football. Best of luck for you(r) next chapter.”
Alonso was at Madrid’s helm in 34 matches across all competitions, winning 24, losing six and drawing four.
Madrid won the season’s first clasico in October by 2-1 but still trails Barcelona by four points at the halfway point of La Liga. The team’s next match is on Wednesday at Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16.
As a player, Arbeloa helped Madrid win eight titles from 2009-16, including two European Cups and one Spanish league. Arbeloa also helped Spain win the 2010 World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.
The 44-year-old Alonso was in the same Spain team, as well as the Madrid team that won the 2014 Champions League. He won six titles with Madrid from 2009-14.
The 42-year-old Arbeloa had been coaching the B team since June. He also coached youth teams at the club.
Alonso signed in May to June 2028. He’d led Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented German league and cup double in his first full season after taking over the team when it was in the Bundesliga relegation zone the season before.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
