Xabi Alonso has stepped down as head coach of Real Madrid after just seven months in charge of the club.
Former defender Álvaro Arbeloa, who has coached Real Madrid’s B team since June 2025 and previously spent six years working within the club’s academy, has been appointed as his replacement.
Real Madrid confirmed Alonso’s departure a day after their loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia. The decision comes with the club sitting second in the LaLiga standings, four points behind leaders Barcelona at the halfway point of the season.
The Spanish giants are also placed seventh in the Champions League table, having recorded four wins and two defeats from their six matches so far.
In a statement, Real Madrid said the club and Alonso had agreed to part ways by mutual consent. The club praised the former midfielder, describing him as a Real Madrid legend who embodies the club’s values, adding that he will always have the affection of Madrid fans and that Real Madrid will always be his home.