Jürgen Klopp: Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid Exit 'Nothing to Do with Me'

Jürgen Klopp has distanced himself from Xabi Alonso's sudden departure from Real Madrid, emphasizing that the sacking has no connection to him despite their shared Liverpool history. The former Liverpool manager addressed the shocking move in an interview, calling the timing a "big surprise" following Real Madrid's 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the 2026 Spanish Super Cup final in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia[5][2][4].

Alonso, hailed as one of soccer's hottest coaching prospects, lasted just seven months at the Bernabéu after replacing Carlo Ancelotti. What began as a dream appointment unraveled amid poor results, tactical mismatches, and dressing-room tensions. A pivotal October Clásico saw Real dominated by Barcelona, conceding a penalty and allowing 13 shots for 2.31 xG, foreshadowing defensive woes[1]. Vinícius Júnior publicly vented frustration after an early substitution, straining relations—Vinícius was later benched multiple times and reportedly refused a contract extension[2][1][3].

November brought dropped points against lower-table sides like Girona, Elche, and Rayo Vallecano, despite high shot volumes that failed to convert. A pre-Christmas slump included just two wins in eight games, with defeats to Liverpool, Celta Vigo, and Manchester City. Form briefly improved with five victories, but the Super Cup defeat proved fatal. Madrid sit four points behind LaLiga leaders Barcelona and risk a top-eight Champions League league phase finish[1][2].

Kylian Mbappé bid Alonso a warm Instagram farewell, praising his "clear ideas" and confidence from day one, but stars like Vinícius and Jude Bellingham stayed silent[2]. Club sources described the "mutual agreement" exit as a dismissal, citing Vinícius handling, poor play, and results. Álvaro Arbeloa, Madrid's reserves coach, replaced him within eight minutes of the announcement[1][2][3].

In his first words, Alonso posted on Instagram: "Coaching Real Madrid has been an honor... I leave with respect, gratitude, and pride that I did my best." Speculation links him to Liverpool, though he rejected them in 2024[3][4]. Klopp insisted the saga is unrelated to him, focusing on Alonso's challenges adapting Ancelotti's player-friendly style[1][5].

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