01/12/26 12:53:00
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01/12 12:48 CST Real Madrid gets rid of Xabi Alonso and promotes B team manager
Alvaro Arbeloa
Real Madrid gets rid of Xabi Alonso and promotes B team manager Alvaro Arbeloa
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) --- Real Madrid pulled the trigger and replaced Xabi Alonso with B
team manager Alvaro Arbeloa on Monday to no surprise.
Madrid said Alonso left by mutual agreement but it followed a tumultuous stint
that lasted less than eight months and came a day after Madrid lost to
Barcelona 3-2 in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Alonso was immediately replaced by Arbeloa; they were teammates for Madrid,
Liverpool and Spain and won the World Cup together in 2010.
"Real Madrid wishes to announce that, by mutual agreement between the club and
Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to bring his time as first team coach to an
end," a statement said. "Xabi Alonso will always carry the affection and
admiration of all Madridistas because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always
represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home."
The club also thanked Alonso's coaching staff.
Alonso arrived last May under high expectations as Carlo Ancelotti's
replacement and pressure built as the team struggled to play well under his
command. He had spats with players such as Vincius Jnior and widespread media
reports said he lost control of the locker room.
Vincius, and others, complained more than once of being substituted by the
coach during matches. Some players publicly supported the coach late last year
but the situation didn't appear to improve much.
After Sunday's loss in Jeddah, Alonso appeared to want his team to do a guard
of honor for Barcelona during the awards ceremony but Kylian Mbapp and other
players called him back and walked away.
Alonso was at Madrid's helm in 34 matches across all competitions, winning 24,
losing six and drawing four.
Madrid won the season's first clasico in October by 2-1 but still trails
Barcelona by four points at the halfway point of La Liga. The team's next match
is on Wednesday at Albacete in the Copa del Rey round of 16.
As a player, Arbeloa helped Madrid win eight titles from 2009-16, including two
European Cups and one Spanish league. Arbeloa also helped Spain win the 2010
World Cup and the 2008 and 2012 European Championships.
The 44-year-old Alonso was in the same Spain team, as well as the Madrid team
that won the 2014 Champions League. He won six titles with Madrid from 2009-14.
The 42-year-old Arbeloa had been coaching the B team since June. He also
coached youth teams at the club.
Alonso signed in May to June 2028. He'd led Bayer Leverkusen to an
unprecedented German league and cup double in his first full season after
taking over the team when it was in the Bundesliga relegation zone the season
before.
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