Managing Madrid Podcast: Is Xabi Alonso Ready For Real Madrid?

Beyond the perfect homecoming narrative: analyzing the tactical reality of Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen tenure and what it means for Real Madrid

While Xabi Alonso’s success at Bayer Leverkusen has created a compelling narrative about his potential return to the Bernabéu, the tactical reality might tell a different story. Alonso’s 2nd full season at Leverkusen has started off rough with the German outfit experiencing 5 draws and a loss in their first 10 Bundesliga games. New central midfield signing Aleix García has, as of November 11th, been benched and not been fully integrated.

In this episode, Siddharth Ramsundar is joined by new guest Ardit Karagjyzi (known on twitter as Loconté) to dive deep beyond narratives into Alonso’s coaching philosophy at Leverkusen, analyzing his reliance on physicality and athleticism, his game-state dependent approach, heavy reliance on width and surprising similarities to Carlo Ancelotti’s reactive style. From his width-oriented 3-at-the-back system in possession to his unique usage of players like Xhaka and Boniface, we examine how his tactical setup might translate to Real Madrid’s context. We ponder his current limitations, questioning whether his emphasis on off-ball structure over possession mastery makes him the ideal candidate to lead Los Blancos into their next era.

Our guest Ardit presents a detailed critique of Alonso’s tactical approach, highlighting concerns about defensive structure and over-reliance on athleticism, while Sid offers a contrasting perspective on why these elements might actually benefit Madrid. The discussion extends to fascinating comparisons with other potential candidates, such as praising Klopp’s intensity and questioning its toll on players, pondering whether Julian Nagelsmann was hard done at Bayern, while asking whether Alonso’s pressing philosophy might offer advantages over even Zidane’s reliable approach. Through this debate, we examine whether Madrid truly needs a revolutionary change or if Alonso’s evolution of the current system, combined with improved pressing and tactical flexibility, could be the perfect balance for the club’s future.

This nuanced analysis goes beyond surface-level narratives to explore what Real Madrid genuinely requires in its next managerial appointment, offering listeners a comprehensive view of one of football’s most intriguing discussions: who should next coach Real Madrid?