Xabi Alonso has received public backing from a close associate after leaving Real Madrid, with comments shedding light on the former Liverpool star’s abrupt exit
17:09, 24 Jan 2026
Xabi Alonso was fired by Real Madrid after losing the Spanish Super Cup final
Xabi Alonso was fired by Real Madrid after losing the Spanish Super Cup final(Image: Getty Images)
Former Villareal manager Javi Calleja has spoken out in support of Xabi Alonso after the Spaniard was dismissed by Real Madrid.
Alonso was fired by Los Blancos following the defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, though his exit had reportedly been looming for some time. The former Liverpool midfielder faced challenges with certain players, with Vinicius Jr. sparking doubts earlier in the season after a very public fallout, and Kylian Mbappe’s act of defiance, appearing to cement Alonso’s fate.
Despite a tenure of less than eight months at the Bernabeu, Alonso has already been linked with a quick return to management, with several English clubs—including his former side Liverpool.
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Calleja, who was dismissed from Al Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, said: "Despite the fact that the results weren't bad. They fired me without giving me any explanation.
"That's why he believes that if you commit to a project, I don't understand how everything falls apart so quickly. What happened with Xabi Alonso, like other similar cases, I neither understand nor agree with. The coach isn't solely responsible for everything, neither the good nor the bad."
In his opinion, the recently dismissed Real Madrid coach could have given the team greater stability, helping to manage player relationships and extract the best from his squad.
He added: "He could have given the team an identity and a distinctive style. That requires patience, teamwork, and having the necessary tools. Now it's up to (Alvaro) Arbeloa to take charge, and we'll see what he's capable of."
Alonso recorded a win rate of over 70 percent during his brief tenure at Real Madrid, but it apparently wasn’t enough to convince the club’s hierarchy that he was steering the team in the right direction.
Former Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso crossing his arms
Xabi Alonso lasted fewer than eight months at Real Madrid(Image: Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
He was succeeded by fellow former Liverpool player Alvaro Arbeloa, who has started OK, winning two of his first three matches in charge, including a commanding 6-1 Champions League victory over AS Monaco on Tuesday.
Jamie Carragher was asked on CBS Sports whether he was taken aback by Madrid's decision to axe Alonso, and he responded: "A little bit, but I think midway through the first half of the season, I did look at the situation, and I did feel Xabi wouldn't be in charge after the winter break.
"I know that happened, so why would I be surprised? But I think on the back of them improving, the Barcelona game that they lost where they played particularly well and were unfortunate not to take it to extra time and penalties...
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"I actually think it's probably better for Xabi that he's out to be honest, because he went in with an idea and it quickly became apparent that he wasn't going to be allowed to coach the way he wanted to or set up the team the way he wanted to. There were obviously problems with certain players who didn't want to buy into that idea.
"So I actually think it was better for him, because even if he'd have had success – or the season had gone on and he'd have won the title – deep down he would have known, 'This is not my way, this is not the way I want to do things, I've not been brought in to coach Real Madrid like this.'
"So I think it's probably better for him to get out of there really. There was obviously a situation where they said they wanted a coach – but they need a manager, not a coach."