Xabi Alonso is under pressure ahead of Real Madrid's Supercopa de Espana semi-final against Atletico Madrid tonight. There are claims in Spain that if his side don't win or impress he will be dismissed.
The Spanish coach arrived in the summer as Carlo Ancelotti's replacement and was expected to be a huge success. He ended Bayern Munich's stranglehold on the Bundesliga title and oversaw an unbeaten 2023-24 campaign, winning the title for the first time in the club's history.
But Alonso has struggled to replicate his success at BayArena in the early stages of his Bernabeu reign. His side trail Barcelona in the La Liga title race and sit seventh in the Champions League table.
Atleti president makes Simeone point
It's rare for managers to stay at a club for over a decade but that's been the case for Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. The Argentine tactician has been in charge of Los Colchoneros since 2011 and doesn't look to be going anywhere anytime soon.
Alonso's situation means he could be sacked before he reaches one year in the job. Some might understand the club's decision to part ways but others feel it's too soon to call an end to his reign.
Atletico president Enrique Cerezo has surprisingly given his thoughts when speaking ahead of the Madrid derby. He used the stability that Simeone has brought at the Metropolitano (via AS):
“We have him because he’s very good, because he does very well, he gives us titles, victories, and above all, we love him. In football, whenever there’s a dismissal, it’s bad, but that’s life."
Atleti have stuck with Simeone through the highs and the lows of his reign and have been rewarded with eight major trophies. He led his side to the La Liga title in 2014 and 2021 while also guiding them to the Europa League in 2012 and 2018.
Real Madrid expect more success than that given it's the most successful club in Europe. But Cerezo makes a good point when showing his admiration of Simeone because a new era can often take time to reap it's rewards.
Simeone's first season saw Atleti finish 5th in La Liga and they haven't finished lower since. Alonso is just getting started at the Bernabeu and perhaps patience is the best course of action at least until the end of the season.
Alonso on Simeone's 14 years at Atleti
Alonso has already locked horns with Simeone and unfortunately ended up on the losing side. Madrid suffered a 5-2 defeat at the Metropolitano in September 2025 which halted a fine start to the season.
It was before that game when Alonso touched on Simeone's 14-year reign and he gave an interesting perspective. He acknowledged their different timelines while speaking to reporters:
“What Simeone has done is very important. I’m just starting out… I like to take things little by little."
Alonso has made several decisions that have raised eyebrows not least his handling of Kylian Mbappe which eventually resulted in an injury. That's why the French forward won't play in tonight's derby.
But the Spaniard surely deserves more time to mould the team in his vision and build a new side that moves on from the Ancelotti's era. A dismissal as early as January could be disastrous given the current managerial market isn't that enticing.