By Chalien Dantes

Xabi Alonso’s brief reign at Real Madrid is over after just eight months, with the club moving quickly to hand the job to former teammate Alvaro Arbeloa.

Real confirmed that Alonso and the club agreed to part ways, and within minutes, Arbeloa was announced as the new manager. The 42-year-old steps up from his role with Real’s B team and takes charge immediately.

The decision comes after a rough run of results. Real were beaten by Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup on Sunday and now sit four points behind their rivals in La Liga. The pressure had been building for weeks, especially after fans voiced their anger following a home loss to Celta Vigo last month. That defeat led to a late night meeting among club officials to review the situation.

Alonso, who spent five years at the Bernabeu as a player, arrived last summer after a stunning spell with Bayer Leverkusen, where he lifted the Bundesliga title in 2024. His time back in Madrid started brightly, with 24 wins from 34 matches, but heavy defeats began to chip away at confidence. A 5–2 loss to Atletico Madrid in September was followed by Champions League defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City.

Arbeloa now takes over despite having no previous experience in senior management. He has been part of Real’s coaching setup since 2020, working with youth sides and earning praise behind the scenes. As a player, he enjoyed a decorated career, winning two Champions League titles with Real, two European Championships with Spain, and the World Cup in 2010. He also spent two seasons at Liverpool before returning to Madrid.

His first test comes quickly. Arbeloa will be on the touchline on Wednesday as Real travel to second division Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16, a chance to steady the ship and begin a new chapter at the Bernabeu.