The Xabi Factor: What Alonso could bring to Real Madrid as manager

With the win against Real Sociedad on matchday five of LaLiga, Carlo Ancelotti became the manager with the second most wins in Real Madrid’s history with 173, overtaking the record of Zinedine Zidane, who racked up 172 victories over his two spells in the Santiago Bernabeu hot seat.

The Italian coach has won it all, literally, for Los Blancos. On one hand, there is no doubt about the sheer genius of Ancelotti but his contract situation and the links with the Brazil national team job are causing a lot of speculation in the Spanish capital.

Club legends returning as managers has been a theme for the last few seasons all across the footballing world. With the likes of Zidane, Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone having enjoyed tremendous success in La Liga both on the pitch and the touchline; it is no surprise that some of the former players’ names have been doing the rounds regarding the Santiago Bernabeu job.

The rumours of Zizou returning at the helm never quite go away. On the other hand, the Castilla and Juvenil teams are being managed by Raul and Alvaro Arbeloa respectively.

What Xabi Alonso could bring to the Real Madrid table as manager

It is in Germany where another one of the yesteryear favorites is making waves. Xabi Alonso is a household name in the world of football having represented top clubs in England, Spain and Germany.

Between 2009 and 2014, the Spanish midfielder played more than 250 games for Real Madrid over five seasons, while winning five trophies. In 2018, whilst completing his UEFA Elite coaching course, Alonso returned to the club where he assumed a role coaching the U14s team.

Not too long ago, Alonso’s only proper managerial job was overseeing Real Sociedad’s reserve side as they achieved an unlikely promotion to the second tier of Spanish football. But the man who famously revealed that he left Real Madrid for Bayern Munich because he was “curious” to find out Pep Guardiola’s coaching secrets, always had an academic streak during his playing career. He guided the team from second bottom up to sixth domestically and all the way to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League.

This season he is on a superb run, sitting atop the Bundesliga so far despite having taken on heavyweights such as RB Leipzig, Borussia Monchengladbach and the mighty Bayern Munich. The team showed immense character at the Allianz Arena to come back from behind twice to earn a point. It is still early days in the campaign but Alonso’s side are looking like contenders for the league title.

Alonso’s team plays fast, exciting football that gets results. He knows that if you have quality in the final third and a constant supply line, then the goals will come. It took a bit of time to find both the system and the personnel, but he has now got the balance he wants in his 3-4-3 setup, with his side dropping back into a 5-4-1 or 5-2-3 out of possession.

However, the most important thing has not been the change of formation, but rather the way the players interpret the system which sees five designated defenders and five attackers. Alonso wants his team to dominate the ball and play through the lines from back to front. The two wide players help create space for the central midfielders and the two number 10s to operate centrally.

Transitions have become a crucial aspect of Bayer Leverkusen’s game under Alonso’s guidance. Unlike many sides that retreat into a 5-4-1 when not in possession, their front three stay narrow, compressing the midfield and forcing opponents wide. Their backline spreads across the width of the pitch, allowing them to apply pressure in distant areas from their goal. As a result, they excel at winning the ball back and quickly transitioning from defence to attack.

Counterattacks are an essential feature of Alonso’s approach. When Bayer Leverkusen lose the ball, they immediately begin pressing, making their 3-4-3 configuration highly effective in these situations. Their quick attacking plays have contributed significantly to creating scoring opportunities.

All in all, these are the indicators of a coach who has a clear philosophy behind his style of play. Alonso’s tactical brilliance has shown its potential to create a well-rounded and effective team. With a focus on compactness, dynamic transitions, and positional attacks, the Spanish coach’s approach has elevated Bayer Leverkusen’s performances and positioned them for further success in the future.

A combination of steel and silk was a signature of Alonso as a player. And he is perhaps unsurprisingly one of the favourites to succeed Ancelotti as Real Madrid’s manager in the longer term.