Join AI Pro
There is a strange narrative circulating among sections of the Liverpool fanbase: that Xabi Alonso somehow “failed” during his time with Real Madrid. It is a conclusion repeated often enough that it has begun to sound like an accepted truth to those without knowledge of the facts. Yet when examined with even a small amount of context, the claim quickly falls apart.
Alonso’s time in Madrid was far from a disaster. In fact, by almost any measurable metric, it was solid. He departed with a points-per-game ratio hovering comfortably above 2.2. This figure compares favourably with several recent Madrid managers and sits within the same general range as the tenure of Carlo Ancelotti during parts of his time at the club. Placing near the top of the table while managing the most politically complex dressing room in world football is not failure.
What many supporters overlook is the context of Alonso’s appointment. Madrid brought him in not merely to win matches — that expectation is permanent there — but to introduce tactical structure. Alonso’s coaching identity, developed during his remarkable spell at Bayer Leverkusen, revolves around shape, coordinated pressing triggers, and intelligent positional play within systems like the 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2.
However, Madrid is historically a 4-3-3 club. Their squad is built around superstar attackers and a culture where tactical restraint often takes second place to individual brilliance. When Alonso arrived, the team was already preparing for a congested calendar that included the expanded Club World Cup and a compressed preseason. There was little time to introduce a new philosophy to a group that had spent years operating under a completely different tactical structure.
Reports also suggested resistance within the dressing room. Some players were reluctant to embrace the off-ball discipline Alonso demanded. Others were uncomfortable with the detailed tactical analysis sessions that are commonplace in modern coaching. In short, the environment he entered was not one designed for gradual tactical evolution.
At a club where player power and presidential politics have long shaped outcomes, it would not be the first time a manager found himself squeezed out despite respectable results.
🚨 | @okdiario: Xabi Alonso has an agreement in place to take over at Liverpool next season on a three-year deal, provided Arne Slot doesn’t win the Champions League. pic.twitter.com/Bh7D6FAZQI
— Anfield Edition | æ (@AnfieldEdition) March 9, 2026
Why Liverpool Should Make Alonso Their Primary Target
For Liverpool FC, however, Alonso represents something very different: an opportunity.
Few young managers in world football have demonstrated the same level of tactical intelligence and transformative ability. His work at Leverkusen remains one of the most impressive managerial achievements of the past decade. Taking a club that had drifted in the lower half of the Bundesliga and turning them into the most coherent, dominant team in Germany was not simply good coaching — it was elite strategic leadership.
Alonso implemented a clear system almost immediately. His team pressed intelligently, controlled possession with purpose, and displayed coordinated movement both on and off the ball. Players who had previously underperformed suddenly looked reborn within a structure that maximised their strengths.
This is precisely the type of clarity Liverpool could benefit from moving forward.
There is also a natural connection already forming within the current squad. Players such as Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong thrived under Alonso’s guidance and understand his system intimately. Their presence would significantly accelerate any tactical transition should he arrive at Anfield.
The squad itself is not far from being perfectly suited to his approach. A left-sided defender capable of operating in a back three and a true defensive midfielder would likely complete the structural puzzle. With those additions, Alonso would have the balance required to construct one of the most formidable teams in the Premier League.
Supporters should therefore ignore the simplistic narrative that his Madrid spell represents failure. Managing that club is unlike managing anywhere else in football, and many outstanding coaches have struggled to impose control within its unique ecosystem.
Alonso has already proven his ability elsewhere. His tactical intelligence, leadership qualities, and deep understanding of Liverpool’s identity make him one of the most compelling managerial candidates in world football.
If Liverpool is serious about shaping the next era of the club, it should not simply be considered.
He should be the primary target.
Join AI Pro