Xabi Alonso's departure: Manuel Pellegrini takes aim at Real Madrid's management

Europe 14 January 2026 at 06:30

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI

News Editor

The dismissal of Xabi Alonso by Real Madrid continues to spark reactions across the football world. Among those speaking out, the voice of Manuel Pellegrini carries particular weight. The Chilean coach, now at the helm of Real Betis, knows first-hand the pressure and demands of the Madrid bench.

Read also: Xabi Alonso breaks his silence after leaving Real Madrid

Having spent a brief spell at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2009, Pellegrini made no secret of his bewilderment at what he considers a premature decision. In his eyes, the sporting context did not justify such a verdict, especially with the club still fighting on several fronts.

"I really feel for Xabi because he's a coach with a brilliant career ahead of him. Judging someone's work after just three or four months is not right in my opinion, even if I don't have all the internal information. Real Madrid is still competing on three fronts. Every process needs time to develop. As a coach, everything depends on the maturity of the management," he stated,

in a thinly veiled critique of the leadership embodied by Florentino Pérez.

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