On 12/1, Real announced Alonso's departure by mutual agreement, just one day after their 2-3 loss to Barca in the Spanish Super Cup final. Alonso, once considered a long-term option to succeed Carlo Ancelotti before the FIFA Club World Cup, served at the Bernabeu for only seven months.

Coach Xabi Alonso instructs Kylian Mbappe during Real's match against Juventus at the FIFA Club World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, US on 1/7/2025. Photo: Reuters

According to Calderon, despite numerous rumors about Alonso's position being at risk, Real's performance in the Spanish Super Cup final was not excessively poor. "I was truly surprised," he told Stats Perform. "While there were speculations, yesterday's match showed Real was not heading in the wrong direction. They could have equalized, even won. The team's image wasn't bad, it was just a painful defeat against Barca."

Calderon also criticized the sporting management model at the Bernabeu, where president Florentino Perez makes all important decisions. "This is a president-centric club. There is no proper sporting director, no professional football assessment, so all decisions are made by the president," he observed.

Discussing decision-making, the Real president from 2006-2009 stated he would rely on the opinions of professionals. "If it were me, I would ask the sporting director. During my tenure, Pedja Mijatovic and his team were the ones making professional decisions because they understood the team well," Calderon said. "Even the most devoted fan knows less than the least experienced professional."

Calderon believes the biggest issue lies in personnel planning, especially after Real successively lost Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the last two seasons. "From my perspective, the preparation was inadequate. Real's midfield was clearly weakened when Modric and Kroos departed without ready replacements," he added.

Calderon declined to provide a specific assessment of Alvaro Arbeloa's appointment as Alonso's replacement. He stated: "There are many good coaches in the world, but most are not readily available. The final decision still rests with the president. So far, he has made decisions based on his own criteria and has generally been successful. We can only wait and see if this time is correct."

Kroos (right) and Modric celebrate victory after the 2024 Champions League final. Photo: UEFA

Meanwhile, Alvaro Benito suggested Alonso was not assertive enough in defending his coaching philosophy. "In reality, no coach is guaranteed a position without winning," the 49-year-old former player said on Movistar's El Dia Despues program. "The important thing is to live and die by your ideas, to impose them on everyone. Ultimately, if you don't win, you will still be sacked, so let it happen because you were loyal to your philosophy."

According to Benito, winning is the only factor that can protect a coach at Real Madrid, regardless of support or trust from management. "I am sure Xabi Alonso will regret not trying to impose his ideas to the very end, despite all obstacles," he emphasized.

Former midfielder Guti, however, focused on the relationship between the coach and the players. Speaking to DAZN, he suggested that conflicts in the dressing room were the real "trigger." "I wasn't in Xabi's dressing room, but when players are uncomfortable with the coach, it shows clearly, from training to matches. I think this is why Xabi had to leave now," Guti said.

The former Spanish midfielder also pointed out that, in terms of performance, Alonso's record was not poor. Alonso managed Real for 34 matches, losing 6, drawing 4, and winning 24. He achieved a win rate of 70,59%, the sixth highest in Real's history, trailing only Carlo Ancelotti (70,8%), Radomir Antic (71%), Jose Mourinho (71,9%), and Manuel Pellegrini (75%).

"If you look at the results, he didn't do badly. I just saw a statistic showing Hansi Flick had a comparable record at Barca after 34 matches to Xabi. But there have been many rumors that he wasn't truly compatible with the dressing room," Guti analyzed.

Regarding Arbeloa taking over the coaching role at Real, Guti was cautious but optimistic. "It's a question mark, similar to when Zinedine Zidane was promoted from Castilla previously. However, Real knows Arbeloa well because he has worked for many years in the youth academy. If the club gives him the opportunity, it means they trust him. The rest is just waiting to see if everything goes smoothly," the 49-year-old former player concluded.

Coach Xabi Alonso (right) shakes hands with Hansi Flick one day before the Spanish Super Cup final. Photo: FC Barcelona

Deco, Barcelona's sporting director, expressed surprise that Alonso lost his job after only seven months, while declining to comment on another club's affairs or draw comparisons between Real and the Catalan club. He also noted that Real, despite their defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final, is still performing well in other competitions, standing second in La Liga and among those directly qualifying for the Champions League round of 16.

Regarding Alvaro Arbeloa taking over as coach, Deco remained cautious. "I don't know if Arbeloa is a good coach, nor do I know if this is a long-term decision. I don't want to discuss Real too much," the former Portuguese player told RAC 1.

Hong Duy (according to Marca, beIN SPORTS)