Real Madrid have moved swiftly to clarify the circumstances surrounding Xabi Alonso’s sudden departure as head coach, insisting the decision was not a dismissal. Speaking after Madrid’s 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, which was reported by SoftFootball, Emilio Butragueño addressed growing speculation around the exit.
The club framed the separation as amicable, stressing that there was no unilateral decision taken against the former midfielder. Explaining the club’s position, Butragueño made it clear in a post shared by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account that Alonso’s departure was agreed upon by both parties rather than enforced.
Fabrizio Romano posted:
Emilio Butragueño confirms Real Madrid didn’t sack Xabi Alonso: Xabi leaving was done by mutual agreement.
We wish him the best.
The statement aligned with Real Madrid’s official message, which described Alonso as a club legend and reiterated that the Bernabéu would always be his home. However, the calm public messaging has contrasted sharply with reports from within Spain and beyond.
Several outlets have suggested that Alonso was keen to continue and that the decision originated from the club hierarchy following internal concerns. Sources pointed to growing dissatisfaction after recent results, including Champions League defeats and Madrid’s struggles for consistency, despite a promising early run under the former Leverkusen coach.
Tensions appeared to surface publicly during the Super Cup final defeat, when footage showed Kylian Mbappé walking away as Alonso attempted to organise a post-match gesture towards Barcelona.
While Mbappé later showed respect on social media, calling Alonso a manager who had clear ideas and knows many things about football, the moment was seen by many as symbolic of deeper dressing-room issues.
Real Madrid wasted little time in appointing a successor, promoting Álvaro Arbeloa from Castilla to take charge of the first team. SoftFootball confirmed the move shortly after Alonso’s exit, with the former defender stepping up on an interim basis amid uncertainty about the club’s long-term plans.
Despite the abrupt ending, Alonso’s reputation remains strong. His achievements at Bayer Leverkusen and his impressive win percentage in Madrid suggest this chapter will not define him. For now, Real Madrid are keen to control the narrative, but the debate over whether this was truly mutual is unlikely to fade quickly.
