Real Madrid pulled the plug on the Xabi Alonso era just seven months in last week, appointing Alvaro Arbeloa to replace him.
There does appear to have been some early changes under Alonso’s ex-Liverpool teammate though.
Arbeloa could scarcely have wished for a more difficult start; a Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of Albacete, followed by a historic whistling of the team, president and manager at the Santiago Bernabeu. The atmosphere appears to be improving though, particularly after their 6-1 win over AS Monaco this week.
According to Cadena SER, Arbeloa has been direct with his players, personable and has focused on several key concepts that he has made clear to his players. Arbeloa is in regular dialogue with the squad, and his communication style is also much more transparent than that of Alonso.
The biggest change though occurred after their 2-0 win over Levante. The reaction of the Bernabeu to the players had the effect of uniting the squad; prior to that, the dressing room was cold, with every player looking out for themselves.
On the other hand, Alonso and his staff spent a lot of time preparing exercises and analysing tactical details, constantly halting training to correct things. Despite their clear quality as coaches, the Real Madrid squad found Alonso’s methods a little too persistent in that regard, and in their tactical explanations.
Alonso clearly struggled to connect with all of his players, and his tactical setup morphed throughout his time at the club, to the point where the team he finished with seemed to be further away from his original plan. On the other hand, Kylian Mbappe was staunch in his defence of Alonso, and praised his use of detailed analysis.