Nothing lasts forever but perhaps Xabi Alonso envisioned longer than seven months in charge of Real Madrid. The Spanish coach took the job in June 2025 after a stellar spell at Bayer Leverkusen, guiding them to their first Bundesliga title and in unbeaten fashion.
Alonso encountered problems from the off at the Estadio Bernabeu and there were constant reports of disgruntled players who weren't happy with his coaching methods. He still managed to guide Los Blancos to the Supercopa de Espana final but a 3-2 loss to Barcelona was enough for Florentino Perez to pull the plug.
Perez has put Alvaro Arbeloa in charge for what seems on a caretaker basis until the end of the season. While he sees out the rest of the campaign, the decision-makers will be attempting to find the best solution and the ideal Alonso replacement.
The Real Champs looks at five possible options for Madrid to consider including European champions and a familiar face.
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp is out of management and feels like the right personality to take over a Madrid squad that needs a major lift and an experienced figurehead. He has been linked with the job over the years and that was the case when he left Liverpool back in June 2024.
The German is one of the most admired coaches in Europe who took a struggling Liverpool team to the very top of English football. He ended the Reds' 30-year league drought while also delivering the Champions League during his nine years at Anfield.
Foot Mercato's Santi Aouna reports that Klopp is a "dream" managerial target for Madrid. He also claims that Perez will try to convince him to take over although his agent insisted last year that he was happy in his role as Red Bull's Head of Sports director.
Enzo Maresca
If Perez wasn't impressed with Alonso's lack of command over the Madrid dressing room then he needn't look further for the ideal replacement than Enzo Maresca. The Italian doesn't bite his tongue and that's what led to his Chelsea sacking in December.
Maresca's dismissal was a shock given he'd guided the West London giants to the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer and ended a three-year trophy drought. He performed well while at Stamford Bridge including overseeing a 3-0 win over Barcelona in this season's Champions League.
But if Los Blancos do appreciate Maresca as Aouna also claims, they might need to move quickly. Reports in England suggest Manchester City are lining him up as Pep Guardiola's successor should the Spaniard depart the Etihad this summer.
Zinedine Zidane
A third reign seems unlikely for Zinedine Zidane at Madrid but it can't be ruled out given the success he achieved while at the helm. Three Champions League trophies in a row is a feat that no other manager in football history has been able to achieve.
Zidane seems to be waiting to take over the France national team once Didier Deschamps leaves the role after this summer's FIFA World Cup. But the chance to guide Los Blancos out of a gloomy situation and back into Europe's top dogs could be enticing.
The iconic former Madrid player and manager has shown he can handle big egos and build a dominant team. He might just be wary of returning though given another Los Merengues hero was just given the boot after seven months.
Roberto De Zerbi
Another one of European football's feisty managers is Roberto De Zerbi who is trying to pull off a miracle and guide Marseille to Ligue 1 glory at the expense of the dominant Paris Saint-Germain. He has impressed not only in France but in England with Brighton, earning a nod of approval from Pep Guardiola for his style of play.
De Zerbi does well with any resources at his disposal and that might be taken into consideration by Perez and his board. But he has yet to take charge of an elite club in his career and that makes his potential appointment a risk.
That said, he has the confidence to deal with the pressure at the Bernabeu as well as the ability to get his players on side. He might be a dark horse for the role but if Madrid were to come calling he'd likely be eager to make the jump.
Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel has coached in France, Germany and England and won titles in each country while becoming adored by the fanbase of the clubs he manages. Chelsea fans still rue their board's decision to sack him a year after he led the Blues to Champions League glory.
A proven winner who lets his players know he calls the shots, he has propelled the England national team into one of the favorites for this summer's World Cup. But his contract with the Three Lions expires after the competition and that might be a perfect opportunity for Los Blancos to pounce.
Tuchel was reportedly learning Spanish in 2023 as he eyed one of the El Clasico jobs if they became available. So there is evidently a desire from the former PSG boss to one day take charge of one of La Liga's big guns and that might be Los Merengues.