Real Madrid on Monday appointed former defender Alvaro Arbeloa as the new head coach of the first team, just halfway through the season. The announcement came only hours after the club confirmed that Xabi Alonso had left his position by mutual consent, following a disappointing 3-2 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.
Okay News reports that Alonso’s tenure at the Santiago Bernabéu was brought to an abrupt end after just seven months in charge. Despite arriving with high expectations after a successful stint at Bayer Leverkusen, the Basque manager struggled to maintain consistency, culminating in Sunday’s loss where defensive frailties were exposed by a rampant Barcelona side. The club released a statement thanking Alonso for his dedication and acknowledging him as a club legend, but ultimately decided that a change was necessary to reignite their campaign.
Arbeloa, who has been grooming the club’s future stars as the head coach of the reserve side, Real Madrid Castilla, since June 2025, now steps into the most demanding seat in world football. A former Spanish international who made 238 appearances for Los Blancos during his playing days, Arbeloa is viewed by the club’s hierarchy as the ideal candidate to restore discipline and identity to the squad. His deep knowledge of the club’s youth system is expected to be vital as he looks to integrate emerging talent with established stars.
The new manager faces an immediate challenge, with Real Madrid currently sitting second in La Liga, four points adrift of leaders Barcelona. With the team also competing in the Champions League, Arbeloa will have little time to settle in before needing to deliver results.
