Xabi Alonso’s First Steps As A Coach: ‘he Always Knew What Was Going To Happen’

On 19 August Real Madrid commencement their caller La Liga run astatine location against Osasuna pinch Xabi Alonso successful complaint for his first convention game. That would person seemed unthinkable only 3 years agone erstwhile he had conscionable taken complete astatine Bayer Leverkusen.

He admitted thinking: “What americium I doing here? … Why did we prosecute this feline from Real Sociedad B?” but nan Bundesliga broadside knew what they were doing. Within 2 years he had taken them to a historical double arsenic good arsenic nan Europa League final. The 2023-24 convention title was secured by going undefeated. Last play they vanished 2nd down Bayern Munich – nary mean feat – and connected 25 May he was confirmed arsenic Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement arsenic head for Los Blancos.

After a Club World Cup ending successful a 4-0 semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain nan 43-year-old faces arguably nan biggest situation of his career. “I was amazed by what he did astatine Leverkusen,” says Gaizka Ayesa, who played nether Alonso for Real Sociedad B from 2020 to 2022. “I knew what benignant of coach he was and what he could do but to spell truthful agelong without losing … I deliberation moreover he was surprised.”

Pressing, strategies and video work

To genuinely understand Alonso’s rise, you person to spell backmost to his beginnings. To commencement retired arsenic a coach, nan Basque returned to his first love, Real Sociedad, wherever he had launched his playing career. With nan reserve team, wherever he spent 3 years and achieved a historical promotion to Spain’s 2nd section (2019-22), nan Tolosa-born erstwhile midfielder worked diligently successful nan shadows, without immoderate unit but pinch already well-defined principles. “His extremity was to create a very violative style of play pinch speedy shot recoveries aft losing possession. The thought was to create gaps and utilization them arsenic accelerated arsenic possible,” recalls Théo Lucbert, a winger for Poitiers who trained nether Alonso astatine Real Sociedad. “His style was a spot different from what you spot now. Back then, he liked his full-backs to thief much successful nan mediate of nan pitch, whereas astatine Bayer, they play almost for illustration wingers.”

And this is possibly what you would telephone nan “Xabi touch”: tactical adaptability. The 2010 World Cup victor pinch Spain is simply a maestro astatine maximising his players’ strengths while minimising their weaknesses done subtle adjustments. “He prepared america for matches highly well,” says Imanol Ezkurdia, a centre-back astatine Guijuelo, who had conscionable nether 3 seasons nether Alonso’s guidance. “He ever knew precisely what was going to happen. He would show us: ‘This and this and this will happen,’ and past it really did. It was impressive.”

Xabi Alonso assistance nan Bundesliga trophy aft an unbeaten play astatine Bayer Leverkusen. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP

Alonso made dense usage of video study earlier matches. “We did a ton of video work,” says Ezkurdia. “He chiefly showed america footage of ourselves – our training sessions and erstwhile matches – to item what we were doing good and what needed improving. Then we would activity connected those things successful training. After that, everything became easier. Sometimes, though, he would besides show america clips of our opponents.”

Lucbert adds: “Xabi utilized video to show america really he wanted america to play, particularly transitions successful possession and erstwhile pressing. But he spent moreover much clip connected nan transportation pinch us, drilling activity and decision-making truthful it each became automatic.”

The caller Real Madrid head leaves thing to chance. Every player’s domiciled was orchestrated for illustration a perfectly tuned symphony. “He wanted maine to thief a batch retired of possession, to tally into space, and to enactment very mobile truthful I could property successful a very organised way,” says nan guardant Jorge Aguirre, who played for Alonso during nan 2022-23 play and is now astatine Gil Vicente.

Ezkurdia was tasked pinch building retired from nan backmost – and to do it effectively: “At nan time, we played a four-man defence pinch 2 centre-backs. I sometimes played successful nan mediate and sometimes astatine full-back but I had a batch of freedom. We worked a batch connected passing patterns and playing retired from nan back: short passes, agelong passes … In nan end, I really improved my shot control.”

Respect successful nan dressing room

To lead his teams to success, Alonso besides places a beardown accent connected quality relationship and affectional control. Very adjacent to his players, he carries an aura that makes nan squad members respect him. “The first clip he walked into nan dressing room, I retrieve being wholly star-struck, moreover panicked,” smiles Ezkurdia. “I had watched him for years connected TV, winning each those titles, a World Cup, Champions Leagues … He was really my idol.

“I retrieve he would sometimes play pinch america during training – and he was still nan best! He loved having nan shot astatine his feet. When we trained pinch him everything felt easier. Sometimes I had to take sides against him … His touch was unreal, and he cracked a batch of jokes, too.” Ayesa adds. “He was very adjacent to us. All nan canteranos loved him.”

Xabi Alonso astatine his position arsenic Real Madrid manager. Photograph: Chema Moya/EPA

Alonso’s competitiveness besides went down good pinch nan players. “He had a peculiar strength: he wanted to triumph supra each else,” says Aguirre. “His mentality helped us; you could spot that he wanted to do things successful a large way. He wanted america to play each crippled arsenic if we were going to die.”

During Alonso’s 2nd play pinch Real Sociedad B they won promotion to nan Segunda División, a level they had not been astatine since 1962.

They won their playoff semi-final against FC Andorra earlier beating Algeciras acknowledgment to an extra-time extremity from Jon Karrikaburu. “The last was really incredible,” says Aguirre. “Before nan game, Xabi was very calm. On nan time of nan match, he conscionable told america to enactment calm and play our football. And it worked.” For Ezkurdia, nan representation is still vivid: “For me, it was nan champion twelvemonth of my career. We played immoderate astonishing football, we trained amazingly well, and connected apical of that, we sewage promoted … What much could you inquire for?”

At nan last whistle, nan ceremony matched their effort connected nan pitch. Champagne flowing, photos pinch nan fans, Basque flags, singing and dancing. “It was a immense moment,” says Ayesa. “To person that chance to play successful nan 2nd section was thing crazy for america because we were each truthful young and truthful happy. We celebrated it pinch him aft we won.”

The pursuing play was much difficult. Relegation followed but cipher could return distant that sensational 2020-21 run from those players. Now Alonso is backmost successful Spain fresh to constitute nan adjacent chapter. Will his methods activity pinch nan superstars astatine Real Madrid? History suggests he will find a way.