Podcast Summary: The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode Title: Why have Real Madrid sacked Xabi Alonso?
Date: January 13, 2026
Host: Ayo Akimolere
Guests: David Ornstein, James Horncastle, Dermot Corrigan

Episode Overview

This episode examines Real Madrid’s shock decision to sack Xabi Alonso as head coach after less than a season in charge. The panel, featuring prominent Athletic journalists, unpacks the political and cultural dynamics at Real Madrid that led to Alonso’s exit, analyzes the unique requirements of coaching at the club, and explores the wider repercussions for the managerial market—especially in the Premier League. There’s also discussion on Real Madrid’s choice to promote Álvaro Arbeloa, implications for Liverpool, Manchester United’s interim appointment, and key transfer updates.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Sacking of Xabi Alonso: Why and How?

(01:37–06:03)

• Florentino Pérez’s Influence:
  • Dermot Corrigan lays out how Alonso was under pressure since a bust-up with Vinicius in the October Clasico:

    “He was on the wire for a couple of months... Florentino Perez wasn’t so happy with Alonso. Looking back now, he was never really happy with Alonso. He needed to be convinced to hire him last summer. And yeah, the axe has fallen...” (02:12)

• Clash of Styles:
  • David Ornstein emphasizes the disconnect between Alonso’s methodical, tactical approach and Real Madrid’s traditionally player-powered, individualistic culture:

    “If you hear or speak to people... Toni Kroos giving team talks and Dani Carvajal arranging the tactics... the senior leaders kind of run the show. That is quintessential Real Madrid... This was an accident waiting to happen.” (02:53)

  • Real Madrid’s resistance to tactical disciplinarians is highlighted, with Ornstein noting the environment is “almost like a poison chalice” for hands-on coaches.
• The "Madridismo" Way vs. Modern Managers:
  • James Horncastle expands on Ancelotti’s ‘humble’ people management, contrasting it with managers like Alonso who are more dogmatic:

    “Carlo is very humble in working with these superstars... Now, I think with this new generation of managers... there isn’t that flexibility there that Carlo has and has learned.” (06:19)

  • Horncastle references Ancelotti’s adaptability—how he took input from players even about formations—to underline why the Italian was the right ideological fit.

2. Why Tactical Innovators Struggle at Real Madrid

(09:19–11:48)

• Incompatibility with Club Culture:
  • Corrigan details Alonso’s intense, detail-oriented Basque ethos—video analysis, tactical plans—clashing with less receptive players (Vinicius, Bellingham, Mbappé):

    “He’s a real football guy... Likes nothing better than being out on the pitch talking about tactics... neither Florentino Perez [nor the players] want to listen to that kind of detail...” (09:38)

  • Alonso realized he “had to scale back” and may regret allowing himself to be swayed by player power.
• Contrast with Ancelotti’s Diplomatic Style:
  • Ancelotti’s ability to let players feel in control while subtly influencing team decisions is credited as key to his longevity.

3. Arbeloa’s Appointment: Quick Fix or Long-Term Move?

(11:48–15:21)

• Why Arbeloa?
  • Dermot Corrigan explains Arbeloa is not just an interim—Pérez wants a “100% club man”:

    “What Florentino likes about Arbeloa is... he’s 100% a Real Madrid club man... always 100% behind Perez... always on message. So that’s the reason why Florentino likes him.” (12:10)

  • Arbeloa’s loyalty and history with the club are valued above managerial experience.
• Uncertainty Ahead:
  • While Arbeloa has won domestic youth trebles, his readiness for the first-team role is questioned:

    “You don’t want to be losing to AZ Alkmaar if you’re Real Madrid. He knows some of the players... but we don’t really know how it’s going to go going forward.”

  • “Sometimes Real Madrid appoint the Castilla coach... and a couple of months later they’re celebrating winning the Champions League. Sometimes... he himself is gone a couple of months later.” (14:26)

4. What Next for Xabi Alonso? Impact on the Coaching Market

(17:43–22:06)

• Immediate Links to Liverpool and Others:
  • Ornstein urges caution against assuming Alonso-to-Liverpool, as Arne Slot remains backed:

    “It’s really disrespectful to think that Arne Slot’s on his way out of Liverpool because nobody has any evidence to suggest that... they chose him unanimously...” (17:58)

  • A wider point is made about the “exploding” managerial market: United, Chelsea, Real Madrid all changing; a summer of mass movement is predicted.
• Does a Real Madrid Firing Hurt Alonso’s Reputation?
  • Horncastle:

    “I think Real Madrid is one of those clubs... it didn’t necessarily damage someone going to Chelsea getting fired... All clubs are different. Managers have to adapt accordingly to the context in which they find themselves in.” (22:24)

  • Alonso’s Leverkusen success is still his main calling card, but a need to improve superstar management is identified.

5. Manchester United’s Interim Plan and Identity Crisis

(24:26–36:30)

• Carrick as Interim; Solskjaer Passed Over:
  • Details provided on Carrick’s expected staff, the passing over of a Solskjaer return, and temporary objectives (24:40–27:26).
• The “United Way” – Outdated or Adaptable?
  • Horncastle discusses United’s struggle to define identity, comparing to Italian clubs’ similar nostalgia traps:

    “As we’ve seen with Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso played for Real Madrid, didn’t make him a manager of Real Madrid... United’s willingness to go back to players from that era...” (28:07)

  • Real Madrid and Man United both repeatedly hire club legends, but success is not guaranteed.
  • Ornstein and Horncastle argue for clear long-term strategy over nostalgia-driven appointments.

6. Arsenal’s Example: Changing Identity with Patience

(31:25–36:30)

• Discussion likens Arsenal’s capacity to reinvent themselves under Arsène Wenger and now Arteta, in contrast with United’s frequent lurches back to the past:
  • “You can change the identity of a football club... [Arsenal] began to associate with free flowing, attacking football... so you can, as much as a club has its DNA... implement another style and another way...” (31:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This was an accident waiting to happen.”
  — David Ornstein (02:53)
• “Patience is not one of Florentino Perez’s biggest virtues.”
  — Dermot Corrigan (09:38)
• “No one is let to cook anymore. They just get cooked.”
  — David Ornstein (32:45)
• “As we’ve seen with Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso played for Real Madrid, didn’t make him a manager of Real Madrid.”
  — James Horncastle (28:07)
• “Sometimes Real Madrid appoint the Castilla coach and a couple of months later they’re celebrating winning the Champions League. Sometimes… he himself has gone a couple of months later.”
  — Dermot Corrigan (14:26)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |---------------|-----------------------------------------------| | 01:37 | Introduction and panel lineup | | 02:12 | Alonso’s sacking – context and Perez influence| | 02:53 | Real Madrid's internal hierarchy/politics | | 06:19 | Ancelotti’s people management style | | 09:38 | Why tactical managers struggle at Madrid | | 11:48 | Arbeloa’s appointment explained | | 12:10 | Arbeloa’s club loyalty and promotion | | 15:21 | Closing the Real Madrid segment | | 17:43 | Xabi Alonso’s future and market impact | | 22:24 | Does the sacking damage Alonso’s reputation? | | 24:40 | Manchester United’s interim solution | | 28:07 | United’s “heritage pathway” discussed | | 31:35 | Arsenal’s identity reinvention | | 32:45 | “Let them cook”—time and patience for managers| | 36:30 | End of major content, adverts |

Tone and Style

The conversation is forthright and informed, blending reporting with sharp insights and a few light, self-aware jokes (“No one is let to cook anymore. They just get cooked”). Each journalist brings their area expertise, with Dermot Corrigan providing Madrid context, Ornstein market-wide perspective, and Horncastle a historical and systems view.

Transfer Quickfire (38:10–47:00)

Spurs and Conor Gallagher:

• Spurs hijack Villa’s move, pay €40m, fast-tracking a transfer to shore up for Rodrigo Bentancur’s injury. (38:25)

Tammy Abraham to Villa:

• Still early stage—injury and Beşiktaş complications noted, but a potential move back to Premier League discussed. (40:18–42:29)

Liverpool’s Right-Back Situation:

• No January signing expected for Conor Bradley’s role; summer focus will be on central defense and Mo Salah’s future. (43:13)

Federico Chiesa:

• Lack of minutes, speculation about return to Italy, coach still counts on him due to injuries elsewhere (45:30).

Conclusion

The Real Madrid–Xabi Alonso saga underscores the club’s unique culture—where individualism and presidential politics trump tactical overhaul. Alonso’s methodical style clashed with the ungovernable Madrid ecosystem, while his exit triggers a managerial market domino effect, with Liverpool, United, and others watching closely, but with no immediate moves expected. Meanwhile, Madrid’s quick promotion of Arbeloa continues their tradition of ex-player appointments, but with outcomes unpredictable. The panel argues for clubs to forge clear, patient strategies rather than reflexively clinging to past glories—with Arsenal’s long-term thinking under Arteta offered as a case to emulate.

For deeper insights, timestamps, and the full context of each development, see the above sections and quoted highlights. The tone is candid, occasionally wry, and always rooted in deep football knowledge.