How Xabi Alonso Looks to Stir Real Madrid Back to Becoming La Liga Champions

Alonso’s Blueprint: Shaping Real Madrid’s Path Back to La Liga Supremacy

Xabi Alonso’s arrival at the Santiago Bernabeu back in May felt less like a routine managerial change and more like the opening of a carefully plotted chess match.

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The Basque tactician arrived with a rich understanding of top-level football, combining insights from his celebrated playing career with his successful managerial spell at Bayer Leverkusen, where he guided the team to an unbeaten 2023–24 Bundesliga title.

He is the kind of coach who applies a precise, methodical approach, which defines his work as he looks to shape a historic Real Madrid squad into a side prepared for the current football landscape, at least from his perspective.

After a trophyless 2024-25 campaign under Carlo Ancelotti and a bruising defeat in the Club World Cup semi-finals, it is clear that the old Madrid template of relying on individual brilliance alone must evolve. Alonso’s blueprint is beginning to emerge, and it centres on discipline, positional awareness, and collective responsibility.

Xabi Alonso guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten 2023–24 Bundesliga title.

Madrid’s star-studded roster presents both opportunity and challenge. Vinicius Jr., whose electric pace has carried the team through moments of brilliance, now finds himself operating within a structure that demands defensive diligence alongside offensive freedom.

Alongside him, Kylian Mbappe’s raw power and skill must blend with the team’s evolving positional patterns. Alonso’s ability to temper ego while extracting peak performance will define whether this squad can reclaim the 2025-26 La Liga crown.

Meanwhile, Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold represent critical cogs in Alonso’s tactical machinery. Bellingham’s attacking instincts will be refocused, bringing him closer to the penalty box like he did in his debut campaign at the Bernabeu and into direct synergy with Madrid’s forwards.

Although Bellingham won't be able to feature for a few weeks as he recovers from surgery on his shoulder.

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Alexander-Arnold, on the other hand, brings a dual threat on the right flank, though whether he becomes the first-choice right-back ahead of Dani Carvajal remains to be seen.

As we all know, his creativity has the potential to unlock defences, but Alonso must balance that with maintaining defensive cohesion during his adaptation period. These adjustments are subtle yet crucial, underscoring how individual brilliance is now shaped within a collective framework.

Los Blancos’ midfield transformation is equally fascinating. With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric no longer in the engine room, Aurelien Tchouameni and summer signing Dean Huijsen form a dynamic partnership capable of dictating tempo and controlling space.

Recruiting a quality midfielder who can replicate the influence of Kroos or Modric would further elevate the team’s all-round performance, and this is a gap that remains an issue going forward. One would have thought it was a priority to address, as Alonso took charge.

Recruiting a quality midfielder who can replicate the influence of Kroos or Modric would further elevate Real Madrid’s all-round performance.

Arda Guler’s redeployment as a central figure has already paid dividends in friendlies, hinting at the tactical fluidity Alonso seeks, but it remains to be seen if he will be consistent on that front.

Under Alonso's guidance, every player must understand their role and also the responsibilities of those around them, which would create a symphony of movement designed to dominate La Liga.

The wings, too, are undergoing a recalibration. Rodrygo faces heightened competition from new arrivals, yet the blend of youth and experience could foster a more unpredictable and potent attack.

Alonso’s challenge lies in melding established stars with emerging talents, balancing ambition with patience, and turning a talented ensemble into a cohesive force capable of lifting trophies.

Alonso’s philosophy is as much about culture as it is about tactics. At a club renowned for individuality, the coach’s task is to forge unity without stifling creativity.

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Every training session, every match, is a step toward instilling the mental and tactical discipline required to restore Real Madrid as La Liga champions. The road ahead will test patience and ingenuity, but Alonso’s early signals suggest a carefully plotted return to dominance is underway.