'He'll be a different coach' - Xabi Alonso backed to return as Real Madrid boss as former team-mate makes Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho comparison

Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso’s tenure at Real Madrid may have ended prematurely this year, but former team-mate Sami Khedira is adamant that the Spaniard’s story at the Santiago Bernabeu is far from over. The Basque tactician, who achieved legendary status after leading Bayer Leverkusen to a historic domestic double in 2024, was forced to pack his bags in the Spanish capital after just half a season in charge. However, the legacy he left behind in Germany and his tactical acumen continue to fuel talk of an eventual blockbuster return to the dugout of the 15-time European champions.

Alonso already backed to make Bernabeu return

Khedira spoke glowingly about his former midfield partner. Despite the difficult nature of Alonso's exit in mid-January, the 2014 World Cup winner is convinced that the door remains open for a future appointment. Khedira suggested that the experience of his first stint will only serve to make him a more formidable manager when the paths of the club and the coach inevitably cross again in the coming decade or so.

Sami Khedira 2024

Khedira makes bold prediction

Khedira made a bold prediction regarding Alonso's future, claiming that time will heal the wounds of his recent departure and allow him to return with a more refined approach. “I am also quite sure that he will - let's say in ten or 15 years - be the coach at Real Madrid again,” Khedira said to Sky Sport. "Then he will be a different coach. Not necessarily a better one, but perhaps a different one, to deal with the situation better." 

The former Germany international believes that the setback in Madrid does not diminish Alonso’s standing among the elite tactical minds in the game. In fact, Khedira places the 44-year-old on the same pedestal as some of the most decorated managers in football history. “He is still one of the best coaches in the world. I see him at the same level as Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti. He has everything that makes a top coach,” Khedira emphasized, insisting that Alonso has the necessary quality to manage the biggest clubs on the planet.

Alonso’s philosophy needs time

To justify his high praise, Khedira pointed to the remarkable transformation Alonso oversaw at Bayer Leverkusen, where he ended the club’s long wait for silverware. "What he achieved with Leverkusen was outstanding," Khedira noted. "If you look back at the first four months, he also struggled there. He lost some games, the results were not so good. It took time to implement his system. His style of play needs time, communication on the pitch, understanding from the players and trust." This comparison highlights the patience required for Alonso's tactical philosophy to take root—a luxury he was perhaps not afforded in Madrid.

The transition from a project-based club like Leverkusen to the immediate-results environment of Real Madrid is a hurdle that even the best coaches face. Khedira speculated that the lack of time in the Spanish capital hindered Alonso's ability to adapt his philosophy to the personnel at hand. "Perhaps he focused too much on his style and not on the style that his top players would have needed. That is perhaps the most important point. Real Madrid is of course something special," Khedira observed when reflecting on why the first stint didn't result in long-term success.

Xabi Alonso Real Madrid 2026

Xabi Alonso's next big move

Despite the recent disappointment, the consensus among those close to the game is that Alonso remains a highly sought-after commodity. His ability to modernise a team's tactical structure while maintaining a winning culture makes him a prime candidate for any vacancy at a major European power. Khedira is certain that we haven't seen the last of the Basque manager in the technical area of a giant club, predicting that his next move will see him back on the trophy trail in one of the world's most competitive leagues.

Concluding his assessment, Khedira backed Alonso to find his way back to the top of the podium regardless of where he lands next. "I believe that Xabi Alonso will soon be the coach of a top club. In Europe, in England or elsewhere. He will be a champion again," Khedira announced. With the managerial merry-go-round constantly turning, it seems only a matter of time before Alonso is given the opportunity to prove his former team-mate right and potentially begin the long road back to a second chapter with Los Blancos.