Xabi Alonso has described his brief spell in charge of Real Madrid as one of the toughest periods of his career, but says he has recovered from the experience and is ready to focus on his new role as Chelsea manager.
Alonso returned to the Bernabeu with a strong reputation after his successful spell as Bayer Leverkusen boss. However, his time in charge of Real Madrid lasted only seven months before he was dismissed in January 2026, following a defeat by Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final.
Reports suggested Alonso’s control of the dressing room weakened during his time at the club. Problems involving players including Vinicius Jr and Fede Valverde were among the issues understood to have contributed to the decision to remove him.
Speaking at the launch of Chelsea’s preseason tour in Australia, Alonso said he had needed time to reflect on the experience before returning to management.
“Luckily there are not too many scars in my career. So, OK, I got a scar, but this heals. Now it is healed, and I am very motivated and determined to enjoy this next step as I did when I started in Madrid.”
The 44-year-old said he had examined both the positive and negative aspects of his tenure at Real Madrid, including his own performance as manager.
“Looking back, I take the positives and the things that didn’t work. I have been very critical of myself, thinking about what I could have done better because it did not go as expected,” he said.
Alonso added that his experience at Real Madrid involved a demanding adjustment to a new environment, as well as challenges in his tactical work and the way he managed his players.
“There are many experiences, the adaptation I had to do, some things that worked and some things that did not in terms of the game, in terms of the man-management. It is a mixture of everything.”
His dismissal came after a period in which expectations were high at Real Madrid, with Alonso arriving at the Bernabeu carrying a strong managerial reputation. Instead, he was unable to complete a full season before losing his position after the Supercopa de Espana final defeat by Barcelona.
Alonso has now started work at Chelsea and has already overseen several preseason matches. The early results have been mixed, with the team recording both wins and defeats.
The former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder said the difficult spell had not changed his determination to continue in management. Instead, he views it as an experience that has given him the opportunity to assess what he needs to improve as he begins the next stage of his career at Chelsea.
