Image Credits: Imago Images
Xabi Alonso is currently without a job following his sacking from Real Madrid earlier this year. His departure was confirmed in a brief statement on January 12, announced as “by mutual consent” after Madrid’s 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Alonso had been under pressure for weeks, with a Champions League loss to Liverpool in early November triggering a poor run of two wins in eight games.
That slump saw Madrid surrender a five-point La Liga lead to trail Barcelona by four. While results improved slightly, performances failed to convince the board and defeat in the Super Cup final proved decisive.
Appointed in May on a contract until 2028, Alonso replaced Carlo Ancelotti after a hugely successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the Bundesliga and German Cup and reached the Europa League final.
Since his exit, Alonso has been linked with Liverpool amid growing pressure on Arne Slot. The Reds’ recent 2–1 home defeat to Manchester City was their sixth loss in seven league games, leaving them struggling in the Premier League and at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification.
Liverpool are not the only club monitoring Alonso’s situation. Xabi Alonso is expected to be included on a three-man shortlist of potential successors to Pep Guardiola amid growing belief that this will be the Manchester City head coach’s final season at the Etihad.
Tottenham are also monitoring Alonso as a possible replacement for under-pressure Thomas Frank, should they decide to make a change later in the season.
According to ESPN, Bayern Munich have also been linked with Xabi Alonso. Head coach Vincent Kompany is on course for a second successive Bundesliga title and has Bayern among the leading contenders for the Champions League.
The 39-year-old signed a new contract last October tying him to Bayern until 2029, but those plans could be disrupted if Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City this summer. Kompany retains strong support at the Etihad, and the opportunity to return to Manchester as head coach would be difficult to ignore.
Should City make a move, the German champions will consider alternatives, including Alonso, who enjoyed a successful spell at the Allianz Arena as a player between 2014 and 2017. However, timing may prove crucial.
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