By Edi Umoh
Real Madrid, Spanish club giant, has sacked its manager, Xabi Alonso, hours after losing 3-2 to Barcelona at the final of the King Super Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.
Announcing this on its official X page on Monday, the Club wrote, “Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his time as first team coach.
“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 Xabi 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.”
Related News: Champions League: Arsenal survive Real Madrid ambush to reach semi-finals
Recall that the club appointed the Spaniard to replace Carlo Ancelotti as coach on Sunday, with the Spaniard to take over from June 1 and lead the team at the Club World Cup.
“Xabi Alonso will be the Real Madrid coach for the next three seasons, from June 1, 2025, until June 30, 2028,” said Real Madrid in a statement.
With veteran Italian coach Ancelotti taking the reins of the Brazilian national team, Madrid secured a deal with former midfielder Alonso, whom they have been linked with for months.
Alonso, 43, leaves German side Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the Bundesliga season after finishing second.
“Alonso is one of the biggest legends at Real Madrid and in world football.
“He wore our shirt in 236 games between 2009 and 2014. During that time, he won six trophies,” continued Los Blancos’ statement.
The Spaniard coached Leverkusen to a league and German Cup double in the 2023-2024 campaign, with his team unbeaten in the top flight, making him a target for Europe’s top clubs.
Basque coach Alonso had an agreement with Leverkusen to allow him to depart if one of his former sides, including Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich, wanted to hire him.
Ancelotti’s Madrid endured a disappointing campaign, winning the European Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup but suffering Champions League quarter-final elimination by Arsenal.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals and then reclaimed the Liga throne from their arch-rivals, meaning they failed to win a major trophy.
Madrid added French superstar Kylian Mbappe last summer, but Ancelotti found it hard to include him in the team alongside Vinicius Junior without destabilising it.
Mbappe netted 31 La Liga goals, which should earn him the European Golden Shoe, but Alonso’s main job will be to restore the team’s solidity without compromising the attack.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid to retain Spanish Super Cup
Barcelona on Sunday retained the Spanish Super Cup with a thrilling 3-2 El Clasico win over Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia.
Raphinha struck twice for the Catalans on Sunday, with Robert Lewandowski also on target as they beat Xabi Alonso’s team for a record-extending 16th triumph, despite Frenkie de Jong’s late red card.
After Raphinha sent Barcelona ahead, Vinicius Junior pulled Madrid level with a fine individual goal to kick-start a frenetic end to the first half in Jeddah.
Lewandowski chipped Barca back in front, but Gonzalo Garcia struck deep in stoppage time to send the teams level at the break.
The battle was decided by a deflected Raphinha effort after 73 minutes, as Barca claimed the fourth trophy of coach Hansi Flick’s reign.
His Madrid counterpart, Xabi Alonso, began with French superstar Kylian Mbappe on the bench after he missed the semifinal win over Atletico with a knee sprain.
Hansi Flick, who led Barca to four Clasico wins over Madrid last season in four clashes, opted for Lewandowski up front over Ferran Torres and brought teenage star Lamine Yamal back in on the right wing.
It was a scrappy start in the Saudi Arabian evening heat, with Barcelona keeping the ball and Madrid sitting deep to resist them while looking to find Vinicius Junior on the counter.
The Brazilian had not scored in his previous 16 matches, but offered a potent threat, flying down the left and forcing Joan Garcia into the first save.
Raphinha also sprinted back to slide in on his compatriot as Vinicius tried to break through.
Barca began to turn up the heat on Madrid, and Raphinha found a breakthrough after 36 minutes.
Moments after the winger fired a fine chance badly wide, he made up for it with a low, early strike from just inside the area, across Thibaut Courtois and into the bottom corner.
Madrid pulled level with a superb Vinicius strike, floating in from the left, nutmegging Jules Kounde and tucking past Garcia.
Barcelona went back ahead four minutes into first-half stoppage time, with Lewandowski dinking home after being played in by Pedri.
Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo lifts the trophy with teammates after winning the Spanish Super Cup final [Vincent West/Reuters]
However, Madrid rapidly hit back just before the interval through Gonzalo Garcia, who finished well while falling after Dean Huijsen’s header bounced back to him off the crossbar.
The second half was a calmer affair, with fewer chances as the teams slowed down.
Garcia saved from Rodrygo Goes’s low effort, while Courtois beat away a Yamal strike.
Mbappe was warming up on the sideline when Barcelona nosed ahead, with Raphinha’s shot from outside the box deflecting in off Raul Asencio to leave Courtois with no chance.
The Brazilian is in superb form, and it was his seventh goal in his last five matches across all competitions.
Alonso sent on Mbappe for the last 15 minutes, trying to find a third goal and force a penalty shootout.
The French forward could not get sight of the goal, but Barca midfielder De Jong was sent off for a high lunge on him.
Despite Madrid’s numerical advantage, Barca had the best chance in stoppage time, with Marcus Rashford firing wide when through on goal.
Asencio might have grabbed an equaliser at the death, but headed straight at Garcia.
The last four winners of the Spanish Super Cup have gone on to claim La Liga, and Barcelona will be hoping it proves a platform for success once again.
