"AN HONOR AND RESPONSIBILITY": XABI ALONSO BREAKS SILENCE AFTER LEAVING REAL MADRID TODAY
Xabi Alonso exits Real Madrid! Read his emotional farewell statement and discover why the club promoted Álvaro Arbeloa to manager.
Xabi Alonso stepped up to the mic for the first time since leaving Real Madrid and called managing the club “an honour and a responsibility.” You could tell he felt the weight of it. He walked out of the Bernabéu on Monday, and by then, Álvaro Arbeloa—his old teammate—had already taken over, moving up from his Castilla post.
The split was official: mutual consent, they said. But honestly, it was coming. After Real Madrid lost to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, everyone knew something had to give. Alonso looked worn down. Months of constant pressure and second-guessing had taken their toll.
The truth is, Real Madrid and Alonso never quite saw eye to eye. His tactics didn’t fit what the club wanted. He had a public falling out with Vinicius Junior, which apparently pushed Vini to refuse a contract extension. Then there was that awkward moment with Kylian Mbappé after the Super Cup—a small thing that fuelled bigger rumours about splits in the squad.
Mbappé was quick to thank Alonso on social media once the news broke. Others followed—Valverde, Rodrygo, and Arda Güler. Vinicius? He stayed silent.
Alonso kept his own response short. He waited till Tuesday, took a breath, and then posted a short message online. Just gratitude and respect, no drama.
“This professional stage is over, and it didn’t go as we would have liked. Coaching Real Madrid has been an honour and a responsibility,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I thank the club, the players and above all, the fans and Madrid fans for their trust and support. I leave with respect, gratitude, and pride that I did my best.”
Honestly, it’s wild how fast things changed for Alonso. Not that long ago, he was the hottest coach in Europe—he led Bayer Leverkusen to a perfect league season, delivered their first Bundesliga title, won the double, and nearly pulled off a historic treble. Real Madrid called him “one of the best coaches in the world” when he took over from Ancelotti last May. They gave him a three-year deal, but now, not even eight months later, he’s out of a job.
Still, this isn’t the end of his story. Real Madrid is famously impossible to please. One rough patch doesn’t erase everything he’s done.
Already, everyone’s wondering where he’ll land next. Manchester United needs a new manager this summer, and Alonso’s name is in the mix. There’s a twist, though—he’s got strong ties to Liverpool, and they might also need a new boss depending on how things go with Arne Slot. He turned Liverpool down once in 2024, which brought Slot in the first place. This time, who knows? Things might play out differently.
FUTURE CORE: HOW JOAO NEVES AND VITINHA COULD REBUILD REAL MADRID’S MIDFIELD
Real Madrid eye Joao Neves: Read about the €160m PSG raid, Vitinha’s €100m clause, and the shock Courtois news regarding Trent.
Real Madrid aren’t just eyeing Vitinha from PSG anymore; they’re now interested in bringing in his teammate Joao Neves as well. That’s according to a new report, which also says that Madrid hasn't lost sight of Rodri from Manchester City, even if that deal looks tough.
Madrid has been after Vitinha for a while. He’s the kind of midfielder who can dictate play and control the game from the centre. Lately, Spanish media have been buzzing about Madrid getting ready to make a huge offer of around €100 million for him. Supposedly, Vitinha has a private agreement that lets him leave PSG if someone puts that kind of money on the table.
But now, Sports Boom claims Madrid have set their sights on Neves, too. Apparently, the club sees him as the missing piece in their plan to rebuild the midfield. Scouts have already told the board that he’s a must-sign. Now, it’s up to Florentino Pérez to figure out if Madrid will go all-in.
It won’t be easy, though. PSG just won the league and the Champions League; they’re not looking to part ways with Neves. If Madrid wants him, they’ll need to cough up somewhere between €150 and €160 million. Neves only joined PSG from Benfica last summer, and he’s under contract until 2029.
He’s already made an impact: 13 goals and 12 assists in 83 games for PSG. This season alone, the 21-year-old has started 11 times in Ligue 1 and six times in the Champions League.
Switching gears, Real Madrid is also keeping an eye on Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, according to Fraser Fletcher, their transfer correspondent. And Liverpool? They’re apparently preparing a massive bid for one of Madrid’s own rising stars, but there’s no word yet if Madrid will actually let him go.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any wilder, a Spanish report claims Thibaut Courtois wants Madrid to move on from Trent Alexander-Arnold, who just arrived from Liverpool in 2025. The drama never really stops at the Bernabéu.
THE ARBELOA STANCE: WHY REAL MADRID’S COACH DEMANDS A HISTORIC PRECEDENT FOR VINICIUS JR
Action needed: Discover why Alvaro Arbeloa is challenging UEFA to punish Gianluca Prestianni and support Vinicius Jr. in Madrid.
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa wants to see UEFA back up its anti-racism talk with real action after forward Vinicius Jr said he was racially abused during last week’s Champions League match in Lisbon.
The incident happened during the first leg of the knockout round against Benfica. Vinicius, who scored the game’s only goal, says Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni targeted him with racist abuse soon after he found the net.
Prestianni, a 20-year-old winger from Argentina, denies it. Still, UEFA hit him with a one-game provisional suspension, so he’ll miss the return leg in Madrid on Wednesday.
“This is a big chance to actually move the fight against racism forward,” Arbeloa told reporters on Tuesday. “UEFA’s always talked a good game about this issue, but now they can show they mean it. I hope they don’t just stick to slogans and banners this time.”
Vinicius, 25, picked up a yellow card for celebrating his goal in front of Benfica’s fans. Benfica manager Jose Mourinho later accused him of being disrespectful and stirring up the crowd.
But Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois pushed back. He said Vinicius’s celebration was nothing out of the ordinary and that it never justifies racist abuse.
“Mourinho’s going to defend his club and his player; that’s normal,” Courtois said. “What bothers me is blaming Vini’s celebration. He didn’t do anything wrong. Opponents celebrate in front of us all the time, especially when they score. It happens, and we move on. There’s no excuse for racism, period.”
Arbeloa called Vinicius a “fighter” and said he’s sure the Brazilian will prove himself on the pitch at the Bernabeu.
“Vini Junior has always had guts and personality,” Arbeloa said. “Honestly, I don’t know how anyone else would handle what he’s faced. He’s always stood tall, and that’s just how he is. He’ll show up tomorrow ready to fight, ready to show he’s one of the world’s best.”
The first match was stopped for ten minutes after Vinicius told the referee what happened, and Real Madrid’s players walked off the field for a bit. There were also reports of racist gestures from fans in the stands at Benfica’s stadium. UEFA says Prestianni could face more punishment once their ethics inspector finishes a full investigation.
On the Benfica side, club president Rui Costa stood by Prestianni and confirmed they’re appealing the suspension.
“I wasn’t on the pitch to hear what was said, but you can imagine how heated things get,” Costa told reporters at Lisbon airport. “We trust our player. He’s being labelled a racist, and I can promise you he’s nothing of the sort. That's why we have faith in him.”
Mourinho, who’s been criticised for his comments, won’t speak at the usual pre-match press conference.
Costa added, “We’ve appealed because nothing’s been proven, so there’s no real reason Prestianni should miss this game.”