Real Madrid and Xabi Alonso Part Ways; Álvaro Arbeloa Named New Head Coach

Real Madrid and head coach Xabi Alonso have mutually agreed to part ways following the club's 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. Alonso's tenure, lasting just over seven months, was marked by inconsistent results and reported internal tensions with key players like Vinicius Jr. and Federico Valverde. Former Real Madrid defender and Castilla coach Álvaro Arbeloa has been appointed as the new first-team manager, with his first match set for the upcoming Copa del Rey fixture against Albacete.