A disappointing season for Real Madrid points to a summer full of changes and decisions to be made. The main one will be the departure of Carlo Ancelotti and the arrival of Xabi Alonso on the bench. Barring any surprises, the former will leave the Whites at the end of the season and the latter will arrive after the Club World Cup to plan for next season and make decisions about the team he wants to fight for titles again.
The Xabi era begins at Real Madrid
In principle, Xabi Alonso’s arrival is scheduled for after the Club World Cup. Real Madrid’s idea is for Ancelotti to step down as coach at the end of the regular season and for an interim coach, initially Solari, to take over and prepare for the new season while the arrival of the new coach is finalized, who would then begin planning for the new season at the Valdebebas offices.
With the arrival of the Spanish coach, a new way of doing things is being sought, as Carlo Ancelotti’s modus operandi has proven to be obsolete. The Italian coach has struggled to commit to younger players and the youth academy and has shown himself to be very attached to a tactical system and players who, by all accounts, were not working.
Now, the arrival of Xabi Alonso is expected to bring a change of scenery that will be good for a Real Madrid side that seems complacent and unmotivated. The challenge for the Spanish coach is a big one, as he must change the poor image left this season and turn the situation around so that Los Blancos can win titles again. To do so, he will undoubtedly have to make decisions, and some players could see their places in the team under threat.
Players who could fall with the arrival of Xabi Alonso
Several players have been questioned throughout the season and could now be playing for their place, or even those who are awaiting a buy-back option and depend on the new coach to return or not to the Santiago Bernabéu. Names such as Lunin, Mendy, Ceballos, Alaba, and Rodrygo depend on Xabi Alonso’s decision as well as the offers that come in for them.
Both Lunin and Rodrygo seem open to a move in the summer and a change of scenery away from the Santiago Bernabéu, but a conversation with Xabi Alonso could change everything. On the other hand, Alaba still has a year left on his contract, but his poor performance and constant injuries have led Real Madrid to consider a sale that would save them his salary and leave money in the coffers. Right now, he would be the fourth or fifth center back, so unless the coach from Tolosa declares him indispensable, his future seems far from Real Madrid.
On the other hand, there is Ceballos, who last summer seemed more out than in, but then went on to earn his place and the respect of the fans until he was injured. Real Madrid has been looking to sign a midfielder for months, and that would force them to offload someone to avoid overbooking. The decision on which player to let go will be up to the coach, but Ceballos is attracting a lot of interest in the market.
Likewise, it has already been reported that Mendy’s injuries and poor performance have not convinced Real Madrid, and there has even been talk that Fran García is more to Xabi Alonso’s liking, meaning that the future of the full-back, who is also injured, is up in the air. Linked to this is the decision to be made regarding Miguel Gutiérrez, for whom there is a favorable buy-back option and on whom Xabi Alonso will also have to decide.