Despite being under contract until the summer of 2026, Alonso bid farewell to Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the 2024–25 season to return to the Spanish capital. The 43-year-old is the new manager of Real Madrid, replacing the winningest manager in club history, Carlo Ancelotti.

The 65-year-old Ancelotti is departing after four mostly successful seasons with Madrid. He bid a tearful farewell on Saturday in the team’s final match of the Spanish league season. Ancelotti’s contract was to end at the end of next season, but the club confirmed his departure on Friday after he had already been announced as the next Brazil coach.

What do we know about Alonso's move to Madrid? Basque trainer Alonso had an agreement allowing him to leave if one of his former clubs-- Real Madrid, Liverpool, or Bayern Munich-- wanted to hire him.