Maybe FC Bayern were lucky that Madrid got him instead.
When Bayern Munich got Vincent Kompany from Burnley, it was widely believed that he was a second choice (honestly, eighth choice) candidate for the job. The actual first choice was Xabi Alonso, then at Bayer Leverkusen, who ended up moving to Real Madrid one season later.
Well, it hasn’t been long, but Xabi has just been sacked by Madrid. The Communicado Official calls it a mutual agreement, but we all know that he was sacked:
Real Madrid CF announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his time as first team coach.
Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.
Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their lives.
How did Xabi’s Madrid journey turn into such a nightmare? Well, the performances weren’t amazing, but it was apparently the feuds with star players that brought the team down. There were reports of friction with Vinicius Jr. and other members of the dressing room, with the coach being forced to make concessions to keep them happy. Apparently, the loss to FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup proved to be the final straw.
Now, we’re only left with a few questions.
Did Xabi leave Leverkusen too early?
Maybe. He did stay one more year after that record-breaking title season, but with hindsight, maybe it was too big of a leap to go from Bayer Leverkusen to Real Madrid in one go. Xabi may be an ex-Madrid player, but being a player and being a coach are two different things. It seems he couldn’t fit with the dressing room culture at Madrid, clashing with key stars which led to an overall downturn in performances and results.
Was Bayern Munich a better fit?
Almost certainly. The style of play Alonso prefers is very German, with high intensity and gegenpressing involved. Madrid, meanwhile, had a more languid and free-flowing style of play under Carlo Ancelotti. Trying to turn one into the other ended up being his undoing. The players weren’t happy and the performances on the pitch reflected that.
At Bayern, he would have found a squad much more receptive to his ideas, and he would have remained in the league that he was familiar with. The Bundesliga is naturally more open and intense than La Liga, which suits Alonso’s playstyle better. Maybe, when Bayern came calling back in 2024, Alonso should have listened.
Was Vincent Kompany the better choice, in the end?
Well, the jury may be out on this one, but you can’t argue with results. Kompany has Bayern Munich flying this season, with only one loss and two draws in all competitions. FC Bayern are running away with the Bundesliga, second in the Champions League, and qualified to the next round of the DFB Pokal.
Most fans are satisfied with the work Kompany is doing at Bayern Munich. Maybe if things had gone differently, we would lament the fact that we “missed out” on Alonso back then. However, that is not the world that we live in. Vincent Kompany has made a tremendous impact on Bayern and the team is playing incredible football.
What next?
For Bayern? Nothing. We stay on course.
For Madrid? Maybe they’ll bring Zidane back and win the Champions League again. That would be annoying, but it’s always a possibility.
For Xabi? Maybe he’ll take a sabbatical while Perez pays out the remainder of his salary. Or maybe Liverpool will sack Arne Slot and hire their former player back to take the reigns. Maybe he’ll return to the Bundesliga. Whatever happens, he is in a precarious position now. The next club he goes to could determine the legacy of his career.
Category: General Sports
