Florentino Pérez's Regret Over Xabi Alonso's Departure

In an internal review of the season, Florentino Pérez has reportedly taken personal responsibility for the managerial appointments, defended the players, and is considering a public explanation for a season that, much like the last, will end without major silverware.

The Real Madrid president is shouldering the blame for the appointments of Xabi Alonso, who was dismissed in January, and Álvaro Arbeloa, who will not continue in his coaching role after the La Liga season concludes. According to ABC, Pérez's self-criticism stems from his belief that both coaches failed to meet expectations in a year where the club's two major coaching bets lasted only ten months.

The UEFA Champions League elimination at the hands of Bayern, which all but sealed a trophy-less season in terms of major honors, has prompted a period of introspection. The Intercontinental Cup and the European Super Cup, won in the 2024/25 season, were not met with significant celebration, being considered less prestigious trophies.

The president also acknowledges that the replacement of the former Leverkusen coach was delayed, which did not benefit Arbeloa. Florentino had intended to dismiss Xabi in early December, following the 1-2 defeat to Celta, but José Ángel Sánchez managed to postpone the decision for another month. The dismissal eventually occurred on January 12th, after the loss in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona (3-2).

Despite his particular fondness for Arbeloa and recognition of his work, Florentino believes the team's improvement under his tenure was insufficient, as evidenced by the statistics: seven losses in 21 games, a 33% defeat rate deemed unacceptable for the club.

In his assessment, the Madrid leader absolves the players of blame, believing the squad possesses the quality to perform better than they have in the last two seasons. Therefore, he is convinced that a renowned coach can extract the best from each individual. The major summer signing will thus be the new manager, with names like Klopp, Pochettino, Deschamps, or even Mourinho being discussed in the Valdebebas corridors. However, the final decision rests solely with Florentino Pérez, who this time wants absolute control over the process, while still consulting his trusted inner circle, which includes José Ángel Sánchez and Anas Laghrari.

Florentino does not foresee a squad overhaul but rather targeted reinforcements for the central defense, right-back, and midfield. The returns of Nico Paz and Víctor Muñoz (buy-back), and Endrick (after his loan spell at Lyon) are anticipated, along with the loan departures of Mastantuono and the sale with a buy-back option for Gonzalo.

Regarding departures, the club aims to generate funds from the sales of Asencio, Camavinga, Ceballos, and Fran García. However, Real Madrid's policy is not to force out players under contract, and few choose to leave voluntarily, as demonstrated by the recent cases of Bale, Isco, Hazard, Mariano, and Vallejo.

The president believes there is still time to make the right decisions, with the World Cup potentially influencing some measures. Among the possibilities on the table is a public statement from Florentino Pérez before the end of the season to provide an overview, although the format—press conference, interview, or official statement—remains unknown.