According to reports, Xabi Alonso announced yesterday that he will leave Bayer Leverkusen, with his next destination being Real Madrid. This news comes as he prepares for his final match at BayArena. Alonso confirmed his departure in a press conference, stating that Sunday’s match against Dortmund will be his farewell to Leverkusen fans. This exit, which had been known behind the scenes for some time, has now been officially announced, and Alonso is ready to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.

At Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso’s name has been the primary candidate to replace Ancelotti for weeks. Although names like Jürgen Klopp were also mentioned in some circles, Alonso was always the top choice. Ancelotti, who is the most successful manager in Real Madrid’s history with 15 titles, will leave the club at the end of the season and is likely to take charge of the Brazilian national team. However, Real Madrid and Alonso have decided to respect Ancelotti until the end of the season, delaying the official announcement of Alonso’s arrival until after his farewell.

Alonso will leave Leverkusen after the match against Mainz on May 17. By then, Real Madrid may still be in the La Liga title race. Crucial matches against Sevilla and Real Sociedad in the final weeks of La Liga will still be overseen by Ancelotti. After that, the next puzzle regarding Alonso arises: Will he lead Real Madrid in the Club World Cup in America?

The Club World Cup begins on June 18, and Real Madrid will compete in the group stage against teams like Al-Hilal, Pachuca, and Salzburg. Alonso’s presence in this tournament could be an opportunity to implement his ideas, but within the club, this option is not particularly welcomed. Instead, Real Madrid has planned a temporary handover of the team to Santiago Solari so that Alonso can start his work without immediate competitive pressure. However, this remains an unresolved puzzle.

This decision was made due to the tight schedule and the players’ participation in national team competitions, including the UEFA Nations League finals and World Cup qualifiers.

Alonso’s departure from Bayer Leverkusen was completed smoothly, thanks to a “respectful agreement” with Leverkusen CEO Fernando Caro. This agreement allowed Alonso to easily move to Real Madrid despite his contract running until 2026. Alonso, who previously played for Real Madrid and coached their youth teams, now has another opportunity to return to the club.

In 2018, he won the league with Real Madrid’s youth team, working with players like Chema Andrés and Cristian David, who are now part of the first team. Alonso’s return to Real Madrid marks a new beginning for the young coach and the club, which sees him as one of the future geniuses of management.