Xabi Alonso was the bright up-and-coming manager after his success at Bayer Leverkusen. He won the Bundesliga and took them to the Europa League final. He was then chosen as Carlo Ancelotti's successor at Real Madrid. However, after hitting a blip in his stint as Real Madrid's boss, his future is now uncertain.
It will be seen as a knee-jerk reaction to sack Alonso. Yes, he failed to win the Club World Cup, but that was his first tournament in charge of the club. They then had a fantastic start to La Liga, but are now on their first slump with him in charge. There are reports that if Los Blancos lose to Manchester City this week, then Alonso may be fired. This will come as good news to some, but very bad news for others.
The 3 biggest winners if Real Madrid fires Xabi Alonso
Vinicius Junior
Vinicius Junior has not hit his best form this season, scoring just five goals with seven assists in 21 games for Real Madrid. He will reportedly not sign a new contract at the club whilst Alonso is in charge.
The Brazilian's only realistic exit from the Bernabeu appears to be the Saudi Pro League. However, it is too early for the 25-year-old to leave European soccer. If Alonso departs, then Vinicius can renew his contract, which expires in 2027.
Endrick
Endrick has made just one appearance for Real Madrid this season. This is despite him playing 37 times under Carlo Ancelotti in the last campaign. He has been heavily linked with joining Olympique Lyonnais on loan in January.
If Alonso departs, then Endrick will have to think twice about leaving the club. A new manager could reintegrate the Brazilian into the Real Madrid lineup. If Endrick gets more game time with Los Blancos, then it could lead to a recall for Brazil. This could come in time for him to play at the World Cup in North America next summer.
Liverpool
Many Liverpool fans wanted Alonso to replace Jurgen Klopp. This is no surprise as he is a former Liverpool player who played an instrumental role in their Champions League triumph in 2005. He also won the FA Cup with the Reds and played over 200 times for them.
Arne Slot was, in fact, Klopp's successor. The Dutchman had success in his first season, winning the Premier League. However, this campaign has been a disaster. New signings have failed to adapt, whilst Mohamed Salah now looks set to depart the club.
Alonso will be a heavy favorite to be Liverpool's manager one day. He also knows Liverpool's new signings, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong, who are yet to hit the highs they did under Alonso at Leverkusen.
Liverpool is currently 10th in the Premier League, and there are serious questions as to whether Slot will last the season as their manager. It would be brave for Alonso to go straight back into management with the Reds should he be sacked by Real Madrid. However, we do not know when the job may come around again.
The 3 sorest losers if Real Madrid fires Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Alonso's career will suffer a huge dent if he is to be sacked by Real Madrid in his first season in charge of the club. However, he is only 44 and will no doubt bounce back from this. The former Spain international will still be in demand and will be linked with Liverpool and his other former club, Bayern Munich, in the future. If he does lose his job at Real Madrid, then it would take a lot of getting over, something Alonso would have to show tremendous character to bounce back from.
Real Madrid
If Real Madrid decides to sack Alonso, then it would only be a short-term fix. They would not be giving him a real chance. Sir Alex Ferguson was close to being sacked at Manchester United, but they stuck with him, and he went on to become the greatest manager in their history.
Alonso could also become a great Real Madrid manager, but he needs time to prove it. There is also no obvious successor to Alonso. Zinedine Zidane appears to be holding out to replace Didier Deschamps as the manager of France after the World Cup. Jürgen Klopp could be an option, but he left Liverpool due to fatigue and still holds the role of head of global soccer with Red Bull.
Arda Guler
Arda Guler has finally gotten regular minutes under Alonso this season. He has featured in all 16 of Real Madrid's La Liga games this season, scoring three times and making five assists. The Turkiye international was used sparingly under Ancelotti. If Alonso is replaced, then there are no guarantees that Guler will continue to get regular game time.