Xabi Alonso tells €100m star to get out as Real Madrid crisis hits ‘turning point’

Robin Bairner

Updated: 27 Nov 2025 11:44 GMT
3 min read

Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Real Madrid might have claimed a 4-3 victory over Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday, but the victory has done little to quell the growing tension surrounding Xabi Alonso and his squad.

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The future of the head coach remains firmly in the air despite the win in Greece, in which Kylian Mbappe matched Cristiano Ronaldo to become just the second Real Madrid star to score four times in a game in the competition.

Victory came amid a background of criticism towards Alonso, who has reportedly fallen out with senior figures in the squad.

Among those the former Liverpool and Spain midfielder clearly has a strained relationship with is Vinicius Junior, with strong sources indicating that the Brazil winger will not sign a new contract with Los Blancos while Alonso remains in charge.

But Vini Jr is not alone in struggling to get on with his new boss – who has told one of Real Madrid’s most highly valued stars to leave the club.

Alonso demands Real Madrid sell Fede Valverde

Alonso’s relationship with Federico Valverde is “strained to the point of breaking”, according to Fichajes, which claims that sources in the Real Madrid dressing room believe the Uruguay international no longer backs the manager.

Now the former Bayer Leverkusen boss wants to sell the 27-year-old, who has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €114 million, and use the proceeds to sign a player better suited to his aims.

Valverde’s unhappiness with Alonso is said to stem from him constant changing of position. He has been used both as a central midfielder and a right-back this season, and as a consequence, he has struggled to reach his best level of form.

Liverpool have been linked with a record move for him.

Current ETV

Federico Valverde

M, DM (C), D (R)

Real Madrid

Federico Valverde

M, DM (C), D (R)

Real Madrid

ETV Range

€102.7M - €125.5M

Will Alonso be sacked?

Victory over Olympiacos seems to have eased the pressure slightly on Alonso, despite reports earlier this week that his departure was all but inevitable.

Edu Aguirre claims, though, that the manager is working to change the situation.

“We can talk about a significant turning point in Xabi Alonso's relationship with the rest of the dressing room in the last few hours, in the last two days. He has been meeting with different players. I'm told there have been small meetings in groups of three or four, trying to get closer to them,” he told El Chiringuito (via Mundo Deportivo).

“The feeling, at least in the last two or three days after the Elche match, has improved considerably. Even with the senior players.”

Alonso seems safe, at least for the moment.