It's been 225 days. That's how long Xabi Alonso has remained on the slippery bench of Real Madrid. The Tolosa-born coach, who was hired to straighten the course left by Carlo Ancelotti, has failed in his attempt due to not being able to adapt to the conditions and needs of the squad and not meeting the demands of a management staff that had lost confidence in a coach who had abandoned his principles to cling agonizingly to his position.
The defeat in the Super Cup final, where he supposedly emerged strengthened, was his downfall. Xabi Alonso leaves after a failed tenure, where the club's management is also exposed. The Basque coach continues the curse of Spanish coaches trained as both players and coaches at the white club. This was the case for Alonso. A list that includes, among others, Julen Lopetegui, Rafa Benítez, José Antonio Camacho, and Mariano García Remón. With Florentino Pérez, more roots were established by Mourinho (1,097 days), Ancelotti (1,454, in the second spell), or Zidane (879 in the first spell). The record goes to Vicente del Bosque (1,314), but including the seven months he spent under Lorenzo Sanz's presidency. With this short-term strategy with in-house coaches, Florentino Pérez has become the president with the most titles in the club's history.
Xabi Alonso is the sixteenth coach under this president, one of the shortest tenures in the two cycles of the businessman's leadership, the seventh in this list. The coach with the shortest tenure was García Remón, who lasted 101 days from September 20, 2004, to December 30 of the same year. The former legendary goalkeeper of the club took over from José Antonio Camacho, who resigned because he felt uncomfortable with the team of Zidanes and Pavones that Florentino had assembled. Interestingly, the former Spanish national team coach ranks second in the list of Madrid coaches with the shortest tenure under Florentino Pérez, lasting only 117 days from May 25, 2004, to September 20 of the same year.
Camacho is a unique case, having resigned twice. The first time was under Lorenzo Sanz in the summer of 1998, before the season began. In a recent interview, the former player recalled how he announced his departure to a surprised Florentino Pérez: "Look, president, I personally can't get the best out of this team, I don't know if you might want to bring in another coach or something, but I see that I can't get the best out of these players," he said to his face.
The third in the list of short-lived coaches at the Bernabéu is another former white player: Santiago Solari, with 132 days (October 30, 2018, to March 11, 2019), who took over from Lopetegui. Ironically, the former national team coach ranks fourth in that list, with 137 days, from June 14, 2018, to October 29 of the same year. Solari continues in the club's technical department as an advisor to the management.
Following Lopetegui on that list is Juan Ramón López Caro, with 207 matchdays. The former youth team coach was not directly dismissed by Florentino, as he took over on December 5, 2005, and Florentino Pérez resigned in February 2006. López Caro stayed until June 30, 2006, when he was replaced by Fabio Capello, under Ramón Calderón's presidency.
Xabi Alonso's trajectory has similarities with that of Rafa Benítez, another product of the club's academy, who lasted 215 days, just 10 fewer than the Basque coach. Benítez took over on June 3, 2018, and left on January 4. The midpoint of the first half of the league season marked the end of their rope. Two coaches who failed to earn the trust of the management or the admiration of the squad. In Madrid, being a good coach is not enough.