Xabi Alonso, the former Spanish midfielder, has been frequently mentioned as a potential successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.
After the Bundesliga title was decided, Alonso didn’t take much time to make a decision about his future. The former Spain international announced that he would be leaving Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.
Alonso has long been linked as a possible replacement for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. With the team’s recent struggles, including a Champions League quarterfinal exit and three losses to Barcelona, two of which were in finals, the uncertainty around Ancelotti’s future continues to grow. While no official announcement has been made, it’s widely expected that Ancelotti will leave at the end of the season.
On Friday, Alonso confirmed to the media that he would leave Leverkusen after their final two Bundesliga matches.
“I can tell you that this week the club and I have agreed that these two matches will be my last as Bayer Leverkusen’s coach,” he said.
Alonso took charge of Leverkusen in October 2022, leading them to a domestic ‘double’ last season. The team won the German Cup and became the first club to win the Bundesliga title without losing a match. They also finished as runners-up in the Europa League.
This season, however, Alonso’s team was unable to retain the title, finishing as runners-up behind Bayern Munich. They will play Borussia Dortmund this Sunday and will conclude their season on May 17 against Mainz.
After discussions with the club, Alonso felt that now was the right time to announce his departure.
“This isn’t the time to talk much about the future,” he said. “Because we want to give a proper farewell to a few players and myself on Sunday here.”
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich secured the title with two matches remaining, and Leverkusen is eight points behind them.
