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Xabi Alonso has acknowledged that "man management" challenges left a "scar" during his ill-fated stint as Real Madrid head coach.
The celebrated World Cup champion stepped into Madrid's technical area last summer with what appeared to be an ideal pedigree. Armed with a playing career distinguished enough to command the respect of a star-laden dressing room, Alonso understood the intricacies of working under Florentino Pérez — the same club president from his days as a player — while also having achieved the remarkable feat of guiding Bayern Munich through an unbeaten 2023–24 Bundesliga title campaign.
The fairy tale quickly became a nightmare.
Immediately burdened with the unwelcome task of steering Carlo Ancelotti's squad through the Club World Cup, Alonso swiftly generated friction with certain players, most prominently Vinícius Júnior. The Brazilian forward reportedly came close to being benched for the semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain, only avoiding it due to Trent Alexander-Arnold's pre-match injury. Regardless, he was deployed out of position on the right flank during a heavy 4–0 defeat.
Numerous reports highlighted how Alonso's rapport with Vinícius Jr and several teammates continued to worsen from that point, with talk of player unrest becoming a persistent theme throughout his seven-month reign. Yet, while he was at the center of the controversy, Alonso publicly denied any problems.
"You have to have a lot of respect for the players and the groups, and how they prepare. I don't want to and I'm not going to talk about that," the coach snapped when pressed about reports of a disgruntled squad. Just over a month later, he had been dismissed.
With seven months of reflection on those turbulent 34 matches, Alonso was more willing to offer a candid assessment.
Alonso Opens Up on Real Madrid Setbacks
Xabi Alonso leaves Real Madrid after seven months in charge. Gone. pic.twitter.com/iGfFK38WnX
"Looking back, I take the positives and the things that didn't work," Alonso told The Athletic during Chelsea's preseason tour of Australia. "I have been very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better because it did not go as expected.
"[In terms of positives] there are many experiences, the adaptation I had to do, some things that worked and some things that did not in terms of the game, in terms of the man-management. It is a mixture of everything."
Alonso is correct to note that his time at Real Madrid wasn't solely defined by off-field missteps; he also made some debatable tactical calls. The decision to deploy left back Fran García at left wing, for instance, is one that Bernabéu supporters are unlikely to forget anytime soon.
Nevertheless, Alonso won over 70% of his 34 games in charge, guided Madrid to the Spanish Super Cup final, and left the club well-positioned to secure automatic Champions League knockout qualification before his dismissal in January. It was evidently a decision that weighed the full scope of his role — something even Alonso himself would now concede.
How Alonso Plans to Use Real Madrid Struggles to Improve Chelsea
When asked whether his disappointing spell at Real Madrid has helped him grow as a manager, Alonso's response was unequivocal: "Sure, sure, sure.
"Because you learn from the disappointment of things that were not meant to be and you try to think that things will be better."
Chelsea's dressing room presents far fewer complications than Madrid's. Former Los Blancos winger Gareth Bale neatly captured Alonso's shortcoming in the Spanish capital. "When you arrive at Real Madrid, you don't need to be a coach," he explained. "You need to manage the egos in the dressing room."
The players Alonso has encountered in west London possess nowhere near the same illustrious profiles as Real Madrid's squad. The challenge Chelsea have clearly identified this summer is a shortage of experience rather than a lack of respect, which helps explain why the club have deliberately pursued seasoned figures like Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson.
Chelsea debut their 2026/27 away kit. pic.twitter.com/B6lqpDv4ID
"You need the right balance of personalities, of maturity stages, [players in their] early twenties, early thirties and in between, players in different stages of their careers," Alonso explained. "There is not a formula for that, but there is a feeling for it."
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The 44-year-old used his time between jobs "mainly to reset the energy." "You need to be full of energy to pull from the rest," he said. "It is very important to transmit this passion, this enthusiasm for the game in every training session, every game plan. I used that time mainly for that. I didn't watch much...[soccer]. It was mainly about myself, about feeling it."
"Luckily there are not too many scars in my career," the former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder admitted. "So, O.K., I got a scar, but this heals. Now it is healed, and I am very motivated and determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid."