The sudden and impromptu dismissal of Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid has drawn strong reactions from footballing personalities worldwide.
Voices such as Manuel Pellegrini and Thierry Henry have voiced their displeasure and the latest to join the bandwagon is former Real Madrid player and director Predrag Mijatovic.
Appearing on Cadena SER (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Mijatovic fired shots at Real Madrid players, blaming them for the dismissal of Alonso, more than anything else.
What Mijatovic said about Alonso’s exit
Mijatovic started by pointing out that Alonso’s exit was too rushed, and he was caught by surprise.
“For me, it’s been a bit rushed after the last few matches where Madrid played better.
Perhaps he’s come too soon, or perhaps he lacks a bit more experience,” he said.
He went on to praise Alonso’s successor, Alvaro Arbeloa, notably commending him for a confident press conference.
Alvaro Arbeloa, Real Madrid manager
Mijatovic believes Real Madrid will succeed under Arbeloa. (Photo courtesy: X/RealMadrid)
“Arbeloa was fantastic. He was very, very good throughout the entire press conference. Very confident.
“At no point did I see him nervous, like, ‘Oh my God, what is this?’ And that tells me he knows perfectly well what he’s dealing with, and that’s very important for a coach,” he added.
Mijatovic, who played for Real Madrid between 1996 and 1999, went on to back Arbeloa to succeed at Santiago Bernabeu.
“I think he can do a good job, because I’ve seen him very confident, as if he knows exactly what he wants to do and knows the club very well,” he said.
However, the highlight of the interview saw Mijatovic lambast the Real Madrid players, blaming them for the exit of Alonso and previously, Carlo Ancelotti.
“It’s not easy, obviously. Last year, the team wasn’t doing well and Ancelotti left. He left Alonso, and now Alonso has left. So perhaps it’s not a problem with coaches, but rather a problem with the players who may have lost their hunger,” he concluded.