Madrid, 13 January (H.S.): Spanish football giant Real Madrid has announced its mutual separation from head coach Xabi Alonso. The club disclosed this information on Monday.In Alonso's place, the club has appointed Alvaro Arbeloa, coach of its Castilla (B team), as the new head coach of the first team.This decision came after Sunday's Spanish Super Cup final, where Real Madrid lost 2-3 to arch-rivals Barcelona.

Currently, Real Madrid trails league leaders Barcelona by four points in the La Liga standings.Xabi Alonso took charge of Real Madrid on June 1, 2025. Prior to this, he had an outstanding tenure with German club Bayer Leverkusen, where he secured a domestic double (league and cup) in the 2023-24 season and led the team to the Europa League final.

Alonso's stint with Real Madrid also began impressively. After guiding the team to the Club World Cup semifinals, he recorded 13 wins in the next 14 matches. The only major defeat during this period came against Atlético Madrid in the derby.However, following the Champions League loss to Liverpool on November 4, the team's performance declined. Afterward, Real Madrid managed just two wins in eight matches.

Although a five-match winning streak under Alonso provided temporary relief, it was not enough to convince the club management to retain him long-term.In the meantime, expressing confidence in Castilla team coach Alvaro Arbeloa, the club has appointed him as the new head coach of Real Madrid's first team.Arbeloa is a former club player with a deep understanding of Real's youth structure and club culture.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar