Real Madrid are currently second in La Liga, four points back of Barcelona. They’re well positioned in the Champions League. All told, it hardly seems like a position of crisis. Having failed to win any silverware last season, though, and it’s not quite where the Spanish giants expect to be.
Add in more than rumours of dressing room dissatisfaction and a loss in the Supercopa de Espana over the weekend and, well, the writing was on the wall for manager Xabi Alonso, who has now been sacked—though for whatever
it’s worth, Madrid frame the decision to part ways as a “mutual agreement.”
Regardless, the former Liverpool star’s time in the Spanish capital has come to an end, with Madrid’s at times toxic, superstar-saturated dressing room having failed to embrace Alonso’s tactical demands and the results over the past 18 or so months being less than anyone involved would have hoped for.
From a Liverpool point of view, it’s news that will inevitably lead to chatter. Alonso was by all reliable accounts strongly considered as a replacement for Jürgen Klopp two years ago, but when the ex-Red signalled an intention to join Madrid there was no effort made to go beyond the consideration stage.
Now, with Liverpool having struggled to perform consistently going back more than a full calendar year—though the past month has brought at least some signs of at least stability—Alonso’s sacking at Madrid will inevitably lead to questions as to whether the Reds might consider their own managerial change.
The safe money, at least barring complete collapse, is on Arne Slot being given to the end of the season to take that rediscovered stability and show his side can build on it to the point they look legitimate title contenders for next season. If that doesn’t happen, though, things could well get interesting.
