According to journalist Jorge Picon (via Madrid Xtra), Real Madrid are hoping to appoint Xabi Alonso in time for the expanded Club World Cup—but the Spanish coach has strong reservations.
Despite previous reports hinting at Santiago Solari taking over the reins for the tournament, the club is said to be pushing for Alonso to arrive earlier than planned, aiming to have a permanent manager in place rather than settling for an interim solution.
Madrid view the Club World Cup as a pivotal moment to rescue a season that has fallen short of expectations.
Beyond sporting pride, the club also sees major financial incentives in performing well at the FIFA-backed event, which now carries significantly more weight.
However, Alonso is not entirely convinced. His current stance is cautious—he reportedly sees the tournament as a “double-edged sword.”
Alonso’s thoughts on the same
From Alonso’s perspective, the timing of the tournament is problematic. Players will be coming off a long and demanding season, both mentally and physically exhausted.
Moreover, there would be virtually no time to implement his ideas or instil tactical changes. That kind of rushed introduction could quickly turn into a nightmare start, especially on such a global stage.
Alonso has always preferred to begin his Real Madrid tenure in July. That gives him a proper pre-season and a clean slate.
Despite this, Madrid still hold out hope that they can convince him to bring his arrival forward, particularly with Carlo Ancelotti stepping down at the end of the La Liga season.
There are options on the table
In the meantime, the club has informed Santiago Solari to remain on standby in case Alonso declines.
Solari is a logical interim candidate. However, if he too passes up the role, other internal figures such as Raul Gonzalez or even Alvaro Arbeloa could be called upon to guide the team through the Club World Cup.
Alonso’s season with Bayer Leverkusen wraps up on May 17, after which he will be technically free. But whether he will be ready to jump into the Real Madrid pressure cooker less than a month later remains very much up in the air.
Within Real Madrid, a quiet wait continues as Florentino Perez weighs his options and hopes the club legend takes the leap sooner rather than later.
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