19 Favourites to Replace Xabi Alonso

The favourites to replace Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid have been revealed. The 15-time Champions League winners have recorded just two victories in their last seven matches across all competitions, and with growing rumours of a breakdown in the relationship between Alonso and his players, he could be moved on before winning a major honour at the Bernabeu.

As Carlo Ancelotti’s predecessor, the Real Madrid hierarchy had high expectations for their suave new boss to reignite the spark and guide the club back to the pinnacle of Spanish and European football after having gone trophyless two terms ago. But with pressure mounting on the former invincible, Bundesliga-winning Bayer Leverkusen head coach, the odds for Los Blancos’ next manager have now emerged, according to BetVictor.

Favourites To Replace Xabi Alonso At Real Madrid

11. Diego Simeone – 20/1

Raiding Atletico Madrid for their manager would likely be the biggest twist in Real Madrid’s managerial history. As the longest-serving manager in European football – and the most handsomely paid – it’s unlikely Diego Simeone would consider abandoning such deeply embedded loyalties, but he would certainly bring stability in generous amounts.

10. Gareth Southgate – 20/1

Former England boss Gareth Southgate’s credentials as a club manager remain up for debate. But when it comes to building a culture, uniting a squad, and instilling a tournament-worthy mentality, there aren’t many better. He led the Three Lions to back-to-back European Championship finals, as well as a World Cup semi-final. The question is whether he’s worth the punt for a club that measures success solely by trophies and won’t be patient with near-misses.

9. Simone Inzaghi – 16/1

Reaching two Champions League finals in the last three years as Inter Milan head coach, Simone Inzaghi is another with a track record of deep cup runs that don’t quite go all the way. This punt, however, seems more justified, given that Inzaghi has at least won a Serie A title.

8. Steven Gerrard – 16/1

If Steven Gerrard returns to management anytime soon, it looks most likely that he will provide Liverpool with a temporary plaster as they look to part ways with Arne Slot and use the rest of the campaign to make a longer-term decision next summer. That said, he’s out of a job, and Real Madrid have always admired the Englishman, and football has sprung up much weirder surprises, so you never know.

7. Unai Emery – 16/1

Unai Emery has Aston Villa in the midst of an unexpected Premier League title race. Should Florentino Perez give him a call, he would be faced with a tough decision to make over his immediate future. Given the PSR issues he currently faces in England, though, it’s expected that he would bite Real Madrid’s hands off at the chance to lead the next galactico era. His tally of four Europa League wins proves he knows how to collect silverware.

6. Fabian Hurzeler – 16/1

The fact that five different managers sit at odds of 16/1 shows that nobody is quite sure where the Real Madrid hierarchy will turn in their search for a new boss. At 31, Fabian Hurzeler became the youngest permanent manager in Premier League history when he took over Brighton in 2021. He’s done a steady job on the south coast, but hiring him could lead to a continuation of the same issues that came with appointing Alonso, especially given the unforgiving nature of the Bernabeu’s star-studded but egocentric dressing room.

5. Roberto De Zerbi – 16/1

From the current Brighton manager to his predecessor, both Hurzeler and Roberto De Zerbi are progressive tacticians with strong faith in youth. The key difference is that the latter can sometimes be prone to a hot-headed approach, often demanding more attention from his players. That could work in his favour in Madrid, but – as seen in Jose Mourinho’s case in the past – it can just as easily become a downfall.

4. Andoni Iraola – 12/1

Andoni Iraola, a Basque peer of Xabi Alonso from Antiguoko youth ranks (a grassroots club in San Sebastian, revered for its youth development), shares a tactical blueprint of high-intensity pressing, quick transitions, and fluid 4-3-3 formations that could seamlessly replace Alonso’s possession-dominant style at Real Madrid. Consistently fighting for European qualification with Bournemouth is the highlight of his CV.

3. Oliver Glasner – 10/1

Managing Crystal Palace and being considered among the best managers in the world right now is some feat. But wherever Glasner goes, he’s a roaring success. He masterminded Austrian side LASK’s crash course to becoming a topflight mainstay, won the Europa League in his second season with Eintracht Frankfurt, and has won the FA Cup and Community Shield with the Eagles, all on a shoestring budget.

2. Jurgen Klopp – 4/1

When Liverpool needed a hero after Brendan Rodgers’ dismissal in 2015, Jurgen Klopp came out of retirement to turn the Kop from doubters into believers, delivering both a Champions League and a Premier League title. He flipped the club’s culture on its head, and his ability to get the best out of self-doubting players is second to none. His managerial style is transformative, and if anything could tempt him back into management, it might be the prospect of working somewhere with unlimited funds – something he’s never had before.

1. Zinedine Zidane – 3/1

In his initial two and a half seasons as Real Madrid boss, Zidane became the first coach to win the Champions League three times in a row, winning the Super Cup and the Club World Cup twice each, as well as a La Liga title and a Supercopa de Espana. His success led to the Frenchman being named Best FIFA Men’s Coach in 2017. He resigned in 2018 before returning in 2021 to add another La Liga and a Supercopa de Espana title, polishing off a managerial tenure that saw him win 66 per cent of his 301 matches.

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The Frenchman, also considered one of the club’s greatest-ever players, is a reliable option. He’s only ever managed Real Madrid, but he knows them better than the back of his hand, and his achievements prove it. See the full odds breakdown below: