Is anyone actually surprised? Heartbroken, sure, but surprised? When Xabi Alonso walked through those doors in June, we thought we finally had a “Project” with a capital P. A man who understood our DNA and the modern game. Fast forward to January 13, 2026, and he’s already history. Sacking a manager for a 3-2 Supercopa loss in Jeddah is the peak of the Real Madrid managerial crisis. We’re sitting 2nd in the league, alive in Europe, and yet the board decides to hit the self-destruct button again. It’s a slap in the face to every fan who sat through the tactical growth of the last eight months just to watch the hierarchy throw it away for a headline.
The Shadow of the President: Who’s Actually in Charge?
Let’s talk about the “Imperial Presidency” that’s currently choking our club. For years, we’ve defended Florentino Pérez because of the trophies, but the cost is becoming too high. We have no Sporting Director—no one to tell the President “no” when he wants a marketing signing instead of a tactical fix. This Real Madrid managerial crisis is his creation. When there’s no buffer between the dugout and the boardroom, the coach is always the first one to be fed to the lions. We don’t want a “President-centric” model anymore; we want a football club that prioritizes the pitch over the balance sheet.
- No Buffer: Every tactical stumble becomes a personal insult to the board.
- Leaked Doubts: As soon as a result goes wrong, the “insider” reports start attacking the coach.
- Managing Upward: Our managers spend more time pleasing the box than training the players.
| Manager | Arrival | Exit | Why We’re Mad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlo Ancelotti | 2021 | 2025 | Sacked after a “bad” year that wasn’t bad. |
| Xabi Alonso | 2025 | 2026 | Sacked before he even got a summer window. |
| Álvaro Arbeloa | 2026 | ? | Another “house man” used as a shield. |
The Galáctico Trap: Building for Instagram, Not for Titles
When will the board learn that you can’t win a treble with eleven attackers? The squad rebuild has been a disaster in disguise. Alonso begged for a defensive anchor—a player to actually protect our aging backline—and what did he get? More “Shiny Objects.” Our transfer policy is obsessed with Mbappe and Vinícius Jr. highlights but ignores the fact that we have no fit right-backs and our center-backs are running on fumes. This is the root of the Real Madrid managerial crisis. You can’t blame a chef for a bad meal when you only buy him sugar and forget the salt.
The Player Power Problem: Who Runs the Dressing Room?
There’s a rot in the locker room, and it’s called player power. It’s no secret that certain stars have a direct line to the President, effectively making them untouchable. When Xabi tried to assert authority—like subbing off underperforming big names in the Clásico—the board didn’t back him; they looked for his replacement. This culture makes the manager’s job impossible. If the players know the coach is just a temporary visitor while they are the “assets,” tactical discipline goes out the window. The “mutual consent” talk is a joke—Xabi was undermined by a board that loves its stars more than its standards.
The Arbeloa Band-Aid: Don’t Fall for the Nostalgia – Real Madrid managerial crisis
So now we have Álvaro Arbeloa. We love “El Espartano” as much as anyone, but let’s call this what it is: a tactical retreat. The board is using a club legend to distract us from their own failures. It’s the same old “Interim Trap.” They hire a “House Man” who won’t rock the boat or demand a €100m defender, and they hope the La Liga problems just disappear. But Arbeloa isn’t the cure; he’s a sedative. Until we address the structural mess at the top, we’re just waiting for the next legend to get chewed up by the Bernabéu woodchipper.
Conclusion: The Cycle Must Break – Real Madrid managerial crisis
The Real Madrid managerial crisis isn’t going to end with a new coach. It ends when the fans demand a modern club structure. We are tired of watching icons like Xabi Alonso get humiliated to protect the ego of the boardroom. We want a Sporting Director, we want a balanced squad, and we want a president who understands that football isn’t just about selling jerseys in Asia. The “win now or die” mentality is killing our identity. If we don’t change how this club is run from the top down, we aren’t “Los Blancos” anymore—we’re just a very expensive circus.
