Barcelona sporting director reacts to Xabi Alonso’s sacking: ‘It surprised me’

Real Madrid’s decision to sack Xabi Alonso less than 24 hours after their defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final sent shockwaves across Spanish football. 

The move quickly became one of the most discussed topics in the aftermath of the Clasico, and it was inevitably raised when Barcelona sporting director Deco spoke to El Larguero. 

During the interview, Deco offered his assessment of Barcelona’s current situation, while also addressing the turbulence unfolding at their biggest rivals.

Alonso’s sacking and Arbeloa’s appointment

When asked directly about Alonso’s dismissal, Deco admitted that the timing caught him off guard. Reflecting on the situation, he said, 

“The truth is that it surprised me. He has not been there long. He’s basically just started. They are in the Champions League and only four points behind Barça in La Liga. 

“We know the impact that Barça-Madrid games have. They are always complicated situations and the coaches are the first to suffer.” 

Deco gave his opinion on the sacking of Xabi Alonso. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Deco was also questioned about Alvaro Arbeloa stepping in as an interim solution.

“I don’t know his work and whether or not he’s a good coach. In these cases, I prefer to focus on our work and wait to see how everything goes.”

Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Turning to the on-pitch contrast between the two giants, Deco highlighted stylistic differences without sounding dismissive. 

He noted, “I’ve seen Madrid with a more counter-attacking approach. They did it against Atletico, exploiting the speed of Vini and Rodrygo in attack. 

“We don’t like to focus on our opponents. Our idea of football is clear, and we always want to control the ball. 

“I think that since Hansi’s arrival, we’ve made a leap in quality both in terms of controlling the game and physically,” he concluded.