It is now confirmed that Real Madrid will appoint Xabi Alonso as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement after their final La Liga game of the season. Xabi Alonso will take charge of the team ahead of the Club World Cup, while Carlo Ancelotti will join the Brazilian national team immediately after leaving Madrid.

Reasons Why Xabi Alonso Might Fail At Real Madrid

Many Real Madrid fans feel excited about the managerial change, although some remain sceptical, citing Alonso’s relative inexperience at a club of Real Madrid’s stature.

Alonso has proven himself a fantastic manager, especially in Germany, but here are a few reasons why he might struggle—and possibly fail—at Real Madrid given the current situation.

Xabi Alonso’s Process Takes Time

Alonso represents the modern manager—he comes equipped with the full package. He enjoys experimenting, being tactically flexible, and developing a unique football identity. However, implementing all this at a club like Real Madrid will require patience, trial and error, and sacrifice.

Xabi Alonso holding 2023/24 Bundesliga title he won with Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso holding 2023/24 Bundesliga title he won with Bayer Leverkusen

But time is the most expensive commodity at Real Madrid. At Bayer Leverkusen, he had the freedom to lose a few matches early on, perform poorly at times, and still grow into the role.

Will the same grace apply at Madrid? If early experimentation leads to heavy defeats against major rivals, how long before things turn toxic?

He Won’t Control Transfer Policy

At Leverkusen, Alonso controlled transfers—he had the authority to decide who joined and who left. At Madrid, he won’t have that power.

For example, he brought in Granit Xhaka from Arsenal because he knew he needed that type of player to build his midfield around.

Reasons Why Xabi Alonso Might Fail At Real Madrid

Xhaka became the heartbeat of Alonso’s team, which went on an iconic 51-game unbeaten run, won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, and reached the Europa League final.

Without that same level of control at Madrid, Alonso may struggle to shape the team in his image as quickly as he did in Germany. If he can’t hand-pick players that suit his system, his impact may take longer to materialize.

Inexperience Managing Big Egos

People underestimate the job Ancelotti did at Madrid. He managed to keep these stars focused and united, thanks to decades of experience.

At AC Milan, Ancelotti handled legends like Kaká, Shevchenko, Dida, Gattuso, Maldini, Ronaldinho, and Inzaghi. That experience helped him thrive at Real Madrid.

Although Alonso played alongside top players during his career, he hasn’t yet managed a dressing room full of world-class stars with egos as large as the Bernabéu.

Can he influence and manage personalities like Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jude Bellingham, Antonio Rüdiger, David Alaba, and others?

While Xabi Alonso stands among the best young managers in the world, these concerns are valid and could become real challenges at Real Madrid. If the 43-year-old Spaniard can overcome these hurdles and still deliver trophies, he will establish himself as a long-term success at the biggest football club in the world.