A major update over Xabi Alonso’s future has emerged after Real Madrid scraped a 2-1 win over Alaves on Sunday evening. The Spaniard has been in the Bernabeu hot seat for just seven months but is already facing an uphill battle to retain his post beyond the new year, amid growing murmurs of discontent within the dressing room.
Los Blancos’ hard-fought victory, courtesy of goals from Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo, was their first win across all competitions in three matches and only their third in the last nine fixtures. The result has done little to ease the pressure on the former Liverpool midfielder, who is under increasing scrutiny to turn things around and restore the club to its lofty, trophy-winning standards.
While the likes of Jude Bellingham have publicly voiced their support for Alonso in recent weeks, the final decision rests solely with the club’s hierarchy. A fresh update has now emerged - and it does not bode well for Alonso as he looks to continue building on an impressive managerial CV that includes an invincible Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen.
Update on Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid Future
Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso bows his head.
UEFA Champions League - Real Madrid v Manchester City - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - December 10, 2025 Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso REUTERS/Susana Vera
According to Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, Alonso's time at Real Madrid is bound to come to an end at some point soon, with the performance at Alaves considered nowhere near good enough to prove he is making any progress. He wrote on X (see the full post below):
"Real Madrid beat Alaves, but not convincingly. He should continue, but it feels like kicking the can down the road. The underlying issues remain the same, and the win doesn’t really change the bigger picture. Xabi won't make the team play as he wants to. Players won't fully buy his idea.
But it makes no sense to get rid of him after a win in a difficult place Cup game against Talavera and Sevilla at the Bernabeu next. Then, in my eyes, the real test: the Spanish Supercup at the start of January. I feel that will give the club enough reasons to determine his future."
As things are currently panning out, it seems that everyone knows the axe will fall on Alonso eventually, but odd results here and there are dragging out the process.
Current Favourites to Take Over Real Madrid Job
Jurgen Klopp
The managerial market is fairly dry at the moment, and evidence of how limited Florentino Perez’s options would be in finding a replacement for Alonso is reflected in the fact that Jurgen Klopp and Zinedine Zidane are being mooted as favourites to steady the ship. Oliver Glasner, who guided Crystal Palace to an FA Cup triumph last season, is third on the list.
Other options include out-of-work Steven Gerrard and recently appointed Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho, while rival boss Diego Simeone is also considered an outside shout.