Xabi Alonso was officially dismissed in January, but his departure from Real Madrid had effectively begun much earlier. By early November, the fracture between the coach and the dressing room was already evident behind closed doors. What followed was a slow but irreversible deterioration of daily life at Valdebebas, until the situation finally exploded.

“I didn’t know I was coming to coach a nursery!” Alonso shouted during a training session. It was not a routine reprimand or a momentary loss of temper. It was an outburst born of exhaustion, frustration, and even a sense of boredom. The coach had been increasingly irritated by what he felt was the squad’s inability to meet the demands he placed on training, particularly on the tactical side.

For weeks, signs of discontent had been building. Long faces, visible disengagement, murmurs among players, and a growing lack of intensity eventually pushed Alonso to his limit. When he finally voiced what he had been thinking for some time, the damage was done. That moment opened a wound within the squad that would never fully heal.

From the players’ perspective, training sessions had become excessively demanding. They complained about an overload of tactical information and constant corrections. Alonso’s meticulous approach, his obsession with detail, and his relentless tactical instructions extended beyond himself to his staff, especially his assistant Sebas Parrilla. The presence of multiple voices issuing instructions and monitoring every movement made several players uncomfortable, contributing to a tense and unhealthy daily environment.

Alonso, however, saw things very differently. The Club World Cup, followed by a rushed return to competition with virtually no preseason, left him little time to implement the footballing philosophy he envisioned for Real Madrid. In his view, the team required major corrections, and every minute of every training session was necessary to accelerate the process.

He believed the squad was far from the level he demanded and that there was no time to waste. That urgency, combined with the constant introduction of new concepts, clashed directly with the players’ mindset. Coach and squad were simply not aligned. Frustration grew on both sides, making everyday work increasingly difficult.

As tensions rose, another factor entered the equation. Álvaro Arbeloa’s name began circulating within the dressing room as a potential alternative. Months before his eventual appointment, the Castilla coach had become a familiar figure around the first team, whether due to the club subtly testing the waters or because players themselves took notice of his presence and profile.

Then came the results crisis. Real Madrid lost the little stability they had, and the situation deteriorated further. While the squad initially tried to rally and prevent Alonso’s downfall, the relationship had already been damaged beyond repair. Doubts spread from the dressing room to the club’s hierarchy, and the path forward became clear.

The Spanish Super Cup defeat was the final blow. But the end had begun much earlier, sparked by a single outburst that symbolized a deeper and irreversible breakdown.

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