Xabi Alonso to Take Charge of Real Madrid: Early Arrival for Club World Cup Showdown

Xabi Alonso is expected to travel to Madrid on June 1 to begin preparations for Real Madrid’s first match of the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, scheduled for June 18 against Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in Miami.

The former Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Spain midfielder recently announced his departure from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season, signaling the next chapter in his managerial career. Though Alonso had not initially planned to join Real Madrid this early, discussions held last week prompted the club to accelerate the timeline, deciding against appointing an interim coach before his arrival.

READ ALSO: Alonso To Leave Leverkusen At End Of The Season

Current manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to receive a fitting send-off, likely during Real Madrid’s final home game of the season against Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu on May 25. Despite this, the club has yet to officially confirm Ancelotti’s departure or Alonso’s arrival.

Real Madrid’s title hopes in La Liga took a major hit after a 4-3 defeat to league leaders Barcelona, leaving them seven points behind with just three matches remaining.

The groundwork for Alonso’s move began months ago, when Real Madrid informed him he would be their choice if Ancelotti did not continue for the next season. By March, a verbal agreement had been reached, with negotiations shifting to final details in recent weeks. Although the precise timing of his appointment is yet to be finalized, Real Madrid has made it clear they want him to take charge in the United States, emphasizing the importance of the Club World Cup.

The Spanish giants are also reportedly eyeing Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold as a potential addition before the competition kicks off.

Alonso’s departure from Leverkusen is facilitated by a gentlemen’s agreement that allows him to leave if one of his former clubs—Liverpool, Bayern Munich, or Real Madrid—came calling. Although Alonso has expressed ambitions of managing Liverpool at some point, the immediate call to the Bernabéu was too significant to turn down.

During his tenure at Leverkusen, Alonso led the club to an unbeaten Bundesliga title and a German Cup victory in his first full season as head coach. As a player, he represented Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014 after five years at Liverpool, finishing his career with a three-year spell at Bayern Munich before retiring in 2017.

Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti’s future appears destined for the Brazilian national team, with talks reportedly scheduled before the 2026 World Cup qualifiers begin in June. Ancelotti, who rejoined Real Madrid in 2021 for a second spell, has won the Champions League three times with the club. However, his side’s Champions League campaign this season ended in disappointment, failing to reach the semi-finals for only the third time in the last 12 years.