By Ayomide Otitoju
Real Madrid on Monday announced the departure of head coach Xabi Alonso by mutual consent, with former club defender Alvaro Arbeloa named as his replacement.
The decision comes a day after Los Blancos suffered a 3-2 defeat to rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. In a statement, the club said it had agreed with Alonso to end his tenure as first-team coach.
“Real Madrid announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to bring his tenure as first-team coach to an end,” the statement read.
Shortly afterwards, the Spanish giants confirmed the appointment of Arbeloa, who had been in charge of the club’s reserve side, Castilla. The club did not disclose the duration of the 42-year-old’s contract.
“Arbeloa has been the coach of Castilla since June 2025 and has developed his entire coaching career in Real Madrid’s academy since 2020,” Madrid said.
Alonso, who took over in June following the departure of veteran coach Carlo Ancelotti, struggled to deliver consistent results. Real Madrid currently sit second in La Liga, four points behind leaders Barcelona.
The Super Cup loss proved to be Alonso’s final match in charge. Although he had come under pressure towards the end of 2025, a run of five consecutive victories briefly eased concerns over his position before Sunday’s defeat sealed his exit.
