When Peace Meets a Pink Slip: Alonso’s Madrid Exit After the Spanish Super Cup
14 January 2026
Backdrop
The moment of peace between Florentino Perez, Real Madrid's president, and Xabi Alonso during Barcelona's Spanish Super Cup triumph revealed the real tension behind their relationship ahead of the club's decision to part ways with the coach after a short six-month spell.
Fallout
Real Madrid announced Alonso's dismissal yesterday following a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the final. A circulating video showed the uneasy dynamic between Perez and Alonso in the hours leading up to the decision that ended Alonso's tenure at the Santiago Bernabéu.
What comes next
The scene also captured Perez's smile toward Robert Lewandowski, the Barcelona forward who stepped on the podium to collect his medal. Madrid has appointed Álvaro Arbeloa, the youth-team coach, to take charge on an interim basis through the end of the season, signaling a new chapter for the club. If hugs were transfers, Alonso would be benched for a better deal. In football, peace can be the prelude to the next transfer window.
