Trent Alexander-Arnold's 'Dream' Shattered After Xabi Alonso Fired by Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso's brief tenure as Real Madrid manager ended abruptly after just 233 days, shattering the dreams of incoming star Trent Alexander-Arnold. Sacked following a 3-2 loss to rivals Barcelona, Alonso departed by mutual agreement, citing an "honour and responsibility" in his social media farewell[2][3]. The decision came amid mounting pressures at the Bernabéu, where high expectations and squad issues proved insurmountable[3].

Alonso, a former Real player with 192 appearances and a 2014 Champions League winner, joined from Bayer Leverkusen after their Bundesliga triumph. However, he clashed with the board over transfers and dressing room control. In summer, Real spent €165m on Álvaro Carreras, Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Franco Mastantuono—none matching Alonso's pleas for central defenders and a tempo-setting midfielder like Martín Zubimendi, who instead joined Arsenal[1][2]. Club hierarchy deemed Zubimendi unfit, favoring Rodri Hernández or Vitinha, leaving Alonso feeling unsupported[1].

Alexander-Arnold's dream move to Real Madrid under his idol Alonso turned sour quickly. The Liverpool right-back, signed as a marquee addition, suffered injury alongside defenders like Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, and Éder Militão, exacerbating squad imbalances[3][4]. Fans and executives showed little sympathy, demanding instant success from a €1.3 billion squad featuring Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior[3]. Tensions peaked with Vinícius, whom Alonso benched repeatedly, leading to public fallout during a key Bernabéu clash[2].

Post-departure, Real eyes Álvaro Arbeloa as interim boss from Castilla, facing the same "impossible job" scrutiny[3]. The board plans no January moves but summer targets—a midfielder and centre-back—align with Alonso's wishes, though they insist the squad's quality remains high without a full rebuild[1]. Alexander-Arnold's integration now hinges on the next regime, as his Alonso-led vision crumbles amid Real's ruthless culture[1][2][3][4].

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