Real Madrid has officially announced that it has mutually agreed with head coach Xabi Alonso to end his tenure at the club.
Kylian Mbappé came off the bench for 14 minutes in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona. Plagued by a knee injury, the French striker still opted to play, taking a considerable risk. His original intention was to help manager Xabi Alonso keep his job, but he ultimately failed to prevent the latter from being sacked.
Two hours after the club officially announced Alonso’s departure, Mbappé became the first Real Madrid player to speak out publicly. He expressed his gratitude to the outgoing manager on his personal social media, stating that their short-lived cooperation had benefited him greatly and describing Alonso as a "forward-thinking, football-savvy coach".
Ahead of the final, both Mbappé and Alonso were well aware that a defeat in the El Clásico would probably cost Alonso his position. For this reason, Alonso insisted on fielding the team’s star player before the match, even if it was only for a limited period in the latter stages of the game.
Originally expected to be sidelined until January 21 due to a knee sprain, Mbappé eventually chose to make an early comeback at the request of the coaching staff with whom he had a good relationship. Although Alonso mentioned "injection treatment" in the pre-match press conference, it is reported that Mbappé did not receive any injections and took the field while still unfit. Prior to this, he had received multiple warnings that a recurrence of the injury would lead to more serious consequences.
Since they began working together last summer, Mbappé and Alonso have maintained smooth communication. The two talked about almost everything, frequently exchanging views on tactics and match details. Alonso quickly realized that he needed to take the initiative to build a closer relationship with the French national team captain. To this end, he also gradually adjusted the team’s defensive participation requirements, granting Mbappé more freedom in the attacking third. Mbappé himself also highly recognized the manager’s training methods that emphasized tempo and intensity, as well as his clear football philosophy.
Despite scoring 29 goals for Real Madrid this season, these goals still failed to prevent the team from changing its manager. Álvaro Arbeloa will take over from Alonso. Although the two had no prior personal relationship, the club expects the new manager to establish contact with the team’s core players as soon as possible.
Arbeloa’s coaching staff also includes fitness coach Antonio Pintus, who worked at Real Madrid during Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure and has a good relationship with Mbappé. The French striker privately refers to him as "the Professor". From this perspective, the prospects of their cooperation are not worrying.
However, with the manager situation settled, the team is no longer eager to let Mbappé take risks on the pitch. It is expected that the Real Madrid’s top scorer will most likely be rested in the upcoming Copa del Rey match against Albacete.
