Real Madrid confirms Xabi Alonso is returning as ‘one of the best coaches in the world’

He’s back.

Xabi Alonso is returning to Real Madrid to take over a club that failed to meet expectations this season.

The Spanish powerhouse announced the hiring of Alonso on Sunday to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who is leaving to take over the Brazil job. Alonso will take over on June 1 and will be given a contract through June 2028, the club said.

He’s to be presented as coach on Monday.

The 65-year-old Ancelotti is departing after four mostly successful seasons with Madrid. He bid a tearful farewell on Saturday in the team’s final Spanish league match. Ancelotti’s contract ran to the end of next season, but the club confirmed his departure on Friday after he had already been announced as the next Brazil coach.

Madrid began the season by winning the UEFA Super Cup title but mostly struggled since then, failing to lift another trophy and losing all four “clásico” matches against rival Barcelona, which clinched a league and cup double.

The 43-year-old Alonso is returning to a familiar environment.

“Alonso is one of the biggest legends of Real Madrid and world football. He defended our shirt in 236 official games between 2009 and 2014. He won six titles during this time: the 10th European Cup in Lisbon, one European Super Cup, one league title, two Spanish Cups and one Spanish Super Cup,” the club said.

“Now he’s returning to Real Madrid as one of the best coaches in the world after making history with Bayer Leverkusen.”

As coach, Alonso Leverkusen to an unprecedented German league and cup double last year in his first full season after taking over the team when it was in the Bundesliga’s relegation zone the season before.

His team remains the only one to complete a whole Bundesliga campaign unbeaten. Leverkusen’s only defeat in 2023-24 was to Atalanta in the Europa League final, and it bounced back three days later by winning the 2024 German Cup.

Leverkusen’s 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga ended in August 2024 with a 3-2 loss at home to Leipzig, against whom Alonso’s team uncharacteristically squandered a two-goal lead.

“You didn’t just train us – you inspired us,” Leverkusen captain Granit Xhaka wrote on Instagram after Alonso confirmed his departure. “We’ll carry your lessons far beyond the field.”

As a player for Spain and Madrid, Alonso displayed an understanding of the game and technical skills that created time and space for himself, and opportunities for others. Real Sociedad and Liverpool previously benefited from his intelligence in midfield. He helped the latter to the Champions League title in 2005.

Alonso starred as a player as Madrid won a Spanish league title in 2012 and the 2014 Champions League before leaving for three Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich.

There was always a feeling in Madrid he would return. The club takes pride in bringing former greats back for coaching or management roles, like Zinedine Zidane or Jorge Valdano, and Alonso seemed predestined for coaching after a playing career spent managing teammates.

Alonso began his coaching career with Madrid’s youth teams before returning to Real Sociedad, another former club, to take over its reserve team. He led it to promotion.

He exceeded expectations after Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes and chief executive Fernando Carro gave him his first job in senior management in October 2022.

Now he will face different demands at Madrid, where he will be tasked with responding to a buoyant Barcelona team spearheaded by the outstanding Lamine Yamal and Brazil forward Raphinha supported by a cast of home-grown young stars such as Pedri and Gavi.

He will have to put the team’s top stars – Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior – back on track after they failed to help the team succeed toward the end of the season.

Despite his success in leading Madrid to three Champions League titles, Ancelotti was considered a coach who largely let the players have their way, giving their individual brilliance full reign.

Alonso is likely to be more structured with a clear idea of how he wants each player to fit into his team. One priority will be strengthening the defense after serious injuries there last season undermined Ancelotti’s hopes of defending the Spanish league and Champions League titles.

Madrid has already addressed that with the signing of Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. More arrivals are likely.

Whichever players come or go, Alonso will face the same demands — to get Madrid back on top in Spain and challenging for a record-extending 16th European crown.

It’s just his second job in senior management.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer