Khaberni - Xabi Alonso, the coach of Real Madrid, is going through crucial days that will determine whether he will continue in his position as the technical director of the royal club.
Several Spanish reports have suggested Alonso's continuation in his position is directly linked to the outcome of the upcoming match for Real Madrid, which will host its counterpart Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the sixth round of the Champions League group stage tomorrow, Wednesday.
Alonso has reached this situation due to a series of negative results achieved by Real Madrid, which has won only once in the last five La Liga matches, falling 4 points behind Barcelona, the leader, after having been 5 points ahead.
3 Candidates to Succeed Alonso at Real Madrid
According to "Marca" and "Mundo Deportivo", the loss of Real Madrid against the City in the European summit could "trigger an immediate change on the bench," hinting at the possibility of Alonso being fired.
In the current situation, many names have emerged as replacements for Alonso as the technical director of the royal club, should he be dismissed, notably the duo Zinedine Zidane and Jürgen Klopp.
Following are the candidates likely to take over the coaching of Real Madrid if Alonso is dismissed:
Zinedine Zidane
He is considered one of the historical figures at Real Madrid as both a player and a coach, having managed the team during two different periods, during which the team achieved stunning successes.
Zidane led Real Madrid to 11 titles, most notably an unprecedented achievement as a coach, by winning the Champions League in three consecutive editions between 2016 and 2018.
Since leaving Real Madrid at the end of the 2020-2021 season, Zidane has not taken over any other team due to his fervent desire to coach the France national team—a dream that seems will be realized after the 2026 World Cup, which threatens the possibility of his return to the royal club.
Jürgen Klopp
The famous German coach has been away from the fields since his departure from Liverpool in the summer of 2024, after nearly a full decade of successes at Anfield.
Klopp returned Liverpool to the elite tier locally, in Europe, and also globally, as he led the Reds to win every possible title (the Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup).
Klopp currently holds the position of football manager at the Red Bull group, and he has repeatedly expressed his reluctance to return to coaching, at least in the current period, which represents a significant challenge for Real Madrid if they wish to contract with him.
Álvaro Arbeloa
He is mentioned as the closest to assuming this position according to the Spanish website "Dosies Futbolera," which went further by affirming he would be the next coach, regardless of the result of the match between Real Madrid and Manchester City.
It added that Arbeloa, the current coach of Castilla (Real Madrid's reserve team), could assume his duties next Friday, being the most likely to fill the position given the difficulty of Real Madrid's president Florentino Perez in contracting with Zidane or Klopp.
