Real Madrid has parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso around six months after the signing. Álvaro Arbeloa takes over. The layoff is not only making waves in Spain. The press reviews are over.
Germany
kicker: “Real Madrid and
ntv.de: “Xabi Alonso fired as coach of Real Madrid. Big bang in Spain: Real Madrid fires Xabi Alonso after the bitter defeat in the Supercopa final against FC Barcelona. The former Leverkusen coach only took over the royal team in the summer.”
South German newspaper: “It had been a crunch for a long time, but the timing of the separation was surprising: a defeat in the Super Cup against Barcelona ended Xabi Alonso’s short time as coach of Madrid. His successor comes from Real’s second team.”
Video: Alonso bang: Real fans divided
RTL.de: “Xabi Alonso no longer coach of Real Madrid.”
Spain
Marca: “After a hopeful start to the project, there was a gradual loss of trust that escalated into a crisis in Jeddah. Many believed that the mere fact of not being ‘shot down’ by FC Barcelona gave the coach further reprieve – but at Real Madrid there are no honorable defeats.”
AS: “The mood at the Bernabéu has been depressed since November 1st: only seven wins in the last 14 games. A win rate of 50%, which is not worthy of the club. A collapse. An emergency call.”
sport: “One of the main triggers [der Trennung] was the relationship between the players and Xabi Alonso. Since the Club World Cup, the coach’s methods and decisions have not convinced some of the team. The fact that the club sided with the players at crucial moments led to a noticeable loss of power for the coach in the dressing room.”
El Mundo: “It is a completely unexpected step, because everything that came out from inside the club in the hours after the Supercup final indicated that calm should be maintained in the coaching bench.”
More international press reviews
BBC (England): “It was confirmation that Florentino Perez had never really believed in his coach.”
Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy): “He will be replaced by his former best friend Alvaro Arbeloa, who previously coached Castilla, Real Madrid’s second team. A very risky decision, in true Florentino style.”
L’Équipe (France): “Xabi Alonso is no longer Real Madrid coach; Alvaro Arbeloa will succeed him.”