Real Madrid confirms that Xabi Alonso returns as ‘one of the best coaches in the world’ – National

Xabi Alonso returns to Real Madrid to take over a club that did not meet expectations this season.

The Spanish powerhouse announced the recruitment of Alonso on Sunday to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who leaves to take over the Brazilian track. Alonso will take over on 1 June and will receive a contract until June 2028, Said the club.

He must be presented as a coach on Monday.

The 65-year-old Ancelotti leaves after four mainly successful seasons with Madrid. He offers A tearful farewell On Saturday in the last Spanish league match of the team. Ancelotti’s contract ran until the end of next season, but the club confirmed his departure on Friday after he had already been announced as the Next Brazilian coach.

Madrid started winning the season through the UEFA Super Cup title, but has usually been struggling since then, so he has no other trophy and all four lost the “Clásico” matches against rival Barcelona, ​​which held a competition and cup double.

Ancelotti said on Friday that he felt that Alonso had the potential to succeed in Madrid.

“I don’t want to give advice because everyone has their own ideas about football,” he said. “The only thing I can say is that he is very lucky to be the coach of Real Madrid. I wish him the very best and all the happiness in the world. I think he has the attributes to coach this team. I hope he enjoys it.”

The official TV channel of the club has prepared a video with highlights of Alonso’s career, both as a player and as a coach, that “now that he has the biggest challenge for him with which every coach can be confronted on the bank of Real Madrid.”

The 43-year-old Alonso returns to a familiar environment.

“Alonso is one of the biggest legends of Real Madrid and World Football. He defended our shirt in 236 official games between 2009 and 2014. He won six titles during this time: the 10th European Cup in Lisbon, a European Super Cup, one competition title, two Spanish superbears,” said the club.

“Now he returns to Real Madrid as one of the best coaches in the world after writing history with Bayer Leverkusen,” the club said.

As a coach, Alonso Leverkusen led to an unprecedented German League and Cup Double last year in his first full season Take over the team When it was the season in the relegation zone of Bundesliga.

His team remains the only one to complete a whole Bundesliga -campaign unbeaten. The only defeat of Leverkusen in 2023-24 was to Atalanta in the Europa League final, and the bounced back three days later by winning the German Cup 2024.

Leverkusen’s 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga ended in August 2024 with a 3-2 loss at home for Leipzig, against whom the Alonso team has unmanageable a lead of two goals.

“You didn’t just train us – you inspired us”, Leverkusen Captain Granit xhaka wrote On Instagram after Alonso confirmed his departure. “We will carry your lessons far outside the field.”

As a player for Spain and Madrid, Alonso showed insight into the game and technical skills that created time and space for themselves, and opportunities for others. Real Sociedad and Liverpool previously benefited from his intelligence in midfield. He helped the last to the Champions League title in 2005.

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Alonso played like a Madrid player and won six titles, including the Spanish competition in 2012 and the 2014 Champions League before he left for three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich.

There was always a feeling in Madrid that he would return. The club is proud to return former big ones for coaching or management roles, such as Zinedine Zidane or Jorge Valdano, and Alonso seemed destined for coaching after a gaming career that teammates won.

Alonso started his coaching career with the youth teams of Madrid before returning to Real Sociedad, another former club, to take over his reserve team. He led it to promotion.

He exceeded expectations after Leverkusen -sports director Simon Rolfes and CEO Fernando Carro gave him his first job in senior management in October 2022.

Now he will be confronted with different requirements in Madrid, where he will be given the task of responding to a floating Barcelona team that is led by the excellent Lamine Yamal and Brazil striker Raphinha supported by a cast of home-made young stars such as Pedri and Gavi.

He will have to put the top stars of the team – Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior – again on the right track after they did not help the team to succeed by the end of the season.

Despite his success in leading Madrid to three Champions League titles, Ancelotti was considered a coach who largely let the players have their way, giving their individual sparkle the entire government.

Alonso is probably more structured with a clear idea of ​​how he wants every player to fit into his team. One priority will strengthen the defense after serious injuries there last season undermined Ancelotti’s hope to defend the Spanish League and Champions League titles.

Madrid has already tackled that with the signing of Spain Defender Dean Huijsen van Bournemouth. More arrivals are probably.

Whichever players come or go, Alonso will get the same requirements-to Madrid to get at the top of Spain and to become challenging for a record-expanding 16th European crown.

It’s just his second job in senior management.

& copy 2025 The Canadian Press