Xabi Alonso will be unveiled as Real Madrid’s new coach on Monday, following the signing of a three-year contract with the club.
On Sunday, Madrid announced that Alonso, who is 43 years old, will take over from Carlo Ancelotti starting June 1. His first task will be to lead the team in next month’s Club World Cup.
The club bid farewell to Ancelotti on Saturday after a 2-0 victory against Real Sociedad, marking their final match of the LaLiga season, as he has already departed for Brazil to manage the national team.
Alonso will officially sign his contract with Madrid on Monday, alongside president Florentino Pérez, before being presented as the coach at the Valdebebas training facility. He will also hold his first press conference, answering questions from the media.
During his time as a player for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014, Alonso made 236 appearances and secured six trophies. He later began his coaching journey at the club’s academy.
After that, he took a position with Real Sociedad’s B team, and in 2022, he became the head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, transforming them from relegation threats into the 2024 Bundesliga champions.
Alonso has been the top choice for Madrid to replace Ancelotti, arriving after a season where the club did not win any major trophies for the first time since 2021.
As he prepares to start next week, Alonso will have little time to settle in, with the team traveling to the United States for the Club World Cup, where they will face Al Hilal in Miami, Florida on June 18.
Real Madrid has began to rebuild ahead of the 2025-26 season. Madrid has secured centre-back Dean Huijsen, and there are indications that they are looking to sign right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold before the Club World Cup. Also, they are in talks to finalize a deal for Benfica’s left-back Álvaro Carreras. Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick expressed delight at Alonso’s new position at arch-rivals. When questioned about Alonso’s recent appointment. Flick said following Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Athletic Club on Sunday: “It wasn’t surprising, was it? I had discussions with him during his tenure at Leverkusen. We had conversation many times. I have a great affection for him. I know his coaching philosophy. It is good to see his success in Germany at such a high level with Leverkusen. The players have shown remarkable development under his guidance. I’m thrilled to have him here. It fills me with happiness to witness him in this position.
