Xabi Alonso has left his job as coach of Real Madrid, only seven months after arriving for his first day at the club’s Valdebebas training ground. A brief statement announced his departure “by mutual consent” on Monday evening after Madrid’s 3-2 defeat in the final of the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona the previous night.

He will be replaced, at least in the short term, by his former Real Madrid and Liverpool teammate and friend Álvaro Arbeloa, who was coach of Castilla, Madrid’s B team.

Alonso had been on the edge over the last month, with the defeat at Liverpool in the Champions League in early November beginning a run of two victories in eight games which also turned a five-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table into a four-point deficit.

Although results improved, Madrid’s performances did not convince and, with the club unable to find a suitable replacement, the final judgment was always likely to be delivered in Jeddah. Madrid won the semi-final of the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia against Atlético Madrid having been outplayed but then lost the final.

The former midfielder’s arrival at the Santiago Bernabéu was announced in May on a contract until 2028. He replaced Carlo Ancelotti and was regarded as a modern, systems manager after his success at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the Bundesliga, the German cup and reached the final of the Europa League.

He had requested a series of signings, including Martín Zubimendi, who ended up joining Arsenal. He took charge of the team in July ready for the Club World Cup, although he had been reluctant to do so, preferring to begin preparation before the league season.

The early rounds of the competition had offered glimpses of his ideas but Madrid were then taken apart by Paris Saint-Germain in a 4-0 semi-final defeat and there has been little sign of progress.

The season began with six wins from six in La Liga and, in October, there was an impressive clásico victory. But that game apart, the performances rarely convinced and that evening, when he took off Vinícius Júnior, the Brazilian stormed off the pitch and straight down the tunnel. An apology from Vinícius was directed at players, staff and president – but, pointedly, not at his coach.

Nor did the club do anything to reinforce Alonso’s authority and, although there had been conversations to improve relationships internally, the Brazilian embracing Alonso after being taken off in a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, that only momentarily brought calm.

Madrid then lost to Celta and Manchester City, leaving Alonso at risk. Five largely unimpressive successive wins since were only a temporary reprieve, defeat on Sunday finally bringing his spell to a close. He departs after 34 games, in which Madrid were defeated six times, conceding three against Barcelona, four against PSG and five against Atlético.

A club statement said: “Real Madrid C.F. announces that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to end his tenure as first-team coach. Xabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always embodied the values ​​of our club. Real Madrid will always be his home.

“Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire coaching staff for their work and dedication during this time, and wishes them the best of luck in this new chapter of their lives.”

Madrid’s statement on Arbeloa made no mention of when he had been appointed until. He took the Castilla job last May and has been a coach in the Madrid setup since 2020, working with academy sides.

Arbeloa came through the ranks at Madrid as a player but made only a handful of appearances before leaving for Deportivo La Coruña. He then joined Liverpool before returning to Madrid in 2009, making 238 appearances and winning eight trophies, including two Champions Leagues. Arbeloa played 56 times for Spain and was part of the squads that won the 2010 World Cup and European Championship in 2008 and 2012.