Tag: Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso head coach of Real Madrid during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter final match between Real Madrid CF and Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium on July 5, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States. Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has backed new head coach Xabi Alonso to make "big changes" at the club, saying that he won't be afraid to drop anyone. After leaving Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso has now returned to Madrid with the task of delivering silverware after the club went trophy-less under Carlo Ancelotti this past season. Speaking to ESPN FC TV on Thursday, Bale, who won five Champions League and three LaLiga titles with the Spanish giants, was asked if can get stars like Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior working together in a coherent team. "I think if you look off what he d...

Xabi Alonso head coach of Real Madrid gives instructions during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter final match between Real Madrid CF and Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium on July 5, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States. Real Madrid will start next season from scratch, manager Xabi Alonso said on Wednesday, after his tactical shift backfired in a 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinal. Missing suspended defender Dean Huijsen and injured Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alonso, who took the reins only weeks ago, reverted to a four-man defence from the back-five that had served them so well earlier in the tournament. The tactical switch saw tournament sensation Gonzalo García start alongside star forward Kylian Mbappé, who was finally back to full strength after miss...

18 June 2025, USA, Miami: Soccer: Club World Cup, Real Madrid - Al-Hilal, preliminary round, Group H, matchday 1 at the Hard Rock Stadium. Madrid coach Xabi Alonso arrives at the stadium before the match. As Real Madrid get ready for their big FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 match against Juventus, manager Xabi Alonso has an important decision to make in defence. After three matches in charge, Alonso’s preferred system is becoming clear with three central defenders. Against Salzburg, this plan was confirmed, but now a key question remains: who will take the final spot in the back line alongside Dean Huijsen and Aurelien Tchouameni, who are both guaranteed starters. The options are Raul Asencio or Antonio Rudiger. Assessing the options Asencio is back in the squad after serving his suspensi...

Xabi Alonso of Bayer 04 Leverkusen gestures during the 1.Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund at BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany on May 11, 2025. Real Madrid, if they were not already in it, were launched into planning mode by defeat in El Clasico on Sunday, ending their slim hopes of retaining La Liga this season. Carlo Ancelotti has already been named as the new Brazil manager, and now Los Blancos are looking ahead to the arrival of Xabi Alonso on the first of June. Alonso’s arrival will bring fresh optimism to the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of the Club World Cup, as will new signings. Real Madrid intend to make three signings before the tournament in the new transfer window between the first of June and tenth of June. The first of those signings will be L...