A prominent Spanish journalist revealed Xabi Alonso's final moments at Real Madrid, along with a direct warning to the club that reflects a bigger issue than just firing the manager: the excessive power given to players.
On 13 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Real Madrid announced the dismissal of Xabi Alonso from his role as head coach on Monday, despite pressure building for weeks, especially after a league defeat to Celta Vigo in December. Few expected the change to happen immediately after the Spanish Supercopa final.
Although the 'Los Blancos' lost to Barcelona in that match, their performance was not the worst of the season. However, Alonso’s credibility seemed to have already eroded before then.
Anton Meana, a well-known journalist from Spain’s Cadena SER program El Larguero, revealed behind-the-scenes details of Alonso’s last hours. After returning from Saudi Arabia, the staff sensed his disappointment, saying the team "fought but it wasn’t enough." He also emphasized that Alonso was a coach who avoided media hype and stayed away from distractions.
However, sources close to the team said that in the final meeting before his dismissal, Alonso spoke candidly to the club, clearly stating that the biggest problem during his time at Real Madrid was the excessive power given to the players.
The former Spanish international midfielder felt unprotected by the club and was surprised that the management consistently sided with the dressing room, which directly undermined his authority and credibility as manager.
"It is impossible to control the dressing room if the club always stands with the players, even when the coach has valid football reasons," was the core message Alonso left before departing Santiago Bernabéu.
Those final words not only reflect his end at Real Madrid but also serve as a warning about the club’s internal power structure, which could repeat the same problems with the next coach.