Real Madrid has sacked Xabi Alonso just 233 days into his tenure, following a 3-2 Spanish Supercopa loss to Barcelona. The club cited a mutual agreement for his departure, though sources indicate it was a firing. Alonso, a former Madrid player, was seen as a top coaching prospect after his historic unbeaten season with Bayer Leverkusen.

The split follows a brutal week featuring losses to Manchester City and Liverpool in the Champions League. A 5-2 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid and poor results against Celta Vigo deepened the crisis. Tensions peaked when star forward Vinícius Júnior reacted angrily to being substituted in a recent Clásico, signaling a breakdown in the locker room.

Sources reveal a fundamental disconnect between Alonso and club president Florentino Pérez, who reportedly never fully backed the hire. Pérez preferred a more experienced manager, while Alonso felt undermined by a minority faction in the squad. With morale at rock bottom, the club moved quickly to install former player Álvaro Arbeloa as the interim replacement.