It wasn’t the most surprising development of the 2025/26 season, but Xabi Alonso’s reign as Real Madrid manager has come to an end. Alonso, who excelled as a breakthrough manager at Bayer Leverkusen and led the German side to their first Bundesliga title, left BayArena for the Bernabéu in the summer.
But Alonso’s mission never got off the ground, with much of his time spent in the Spanish capital a one-step-forward, two-steps-back situation. A crushing defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup didn’t get him off to the best start as Real Madrid manager, and similar problems plagued Los Blancos in La Liga.
Alonso’s final match in his tenure was Sunday’s loss to rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, and he packed up and departed by Monday night. It was a relationship that never seemed to work out on paper, and fast forward six months, that proved to be the case.
Despite his early departure, Alonso leaves Real Madrid with his reputation largely intact, and speculation is rife about his next move. Some have suggested Manchester United, but it’s hard to imagine a methodical manager like Alonso choosing to take the job at Old Trafford, which to outsiders looks like a circus.
Liverpool is the most obvious choice, given Alonso’s links with the club from his playing days. But what happens when another of the Reds’ Premier League rivals throws a spanner in and swoops in instead?
If rumors are to be believed, manager Josep Guardiola could end his 10-year spell at Manchester City, meaning the Blues are also looking for a new commander-in-chief. Even if Slott’s form appears to be improving slightly, Liverpool will have some tough decisions to make.
As one of Europe’s brightest young managers, it’s no surprise that Alonso is on the shortlist to replace Guardiola. Furthermore, City have shown throughout Guardiola’s ten years at the club that they are willing to allow him the freedom to create the environment he prefers.
At the moment, the cards appear to be in Liverpool’s hands. They can decide to stick or twist instead. But things can start to get complicated when another player is invited to the table. And Alonso, who had already rejected the chance to replace Jurgen Klopp, could break the Reds’ hearts again.
