Spanish manager Xabi Alonso has declared that he will exit Bayer Leverkusen following the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, with reports suggesting he will take over as manager of Real Madrid. Alonso, who has managed the German team for three years since joining in October 2022, achieved the historic feat of winning Bayer’s first Bundesliga title in the 2023-24 season. He is expected to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who may leave to become the Brazilian national team’s new coach.
While Real Madrid has not confirmed their future managerial plans, Alonso shared his decision during a press conference before the last home match against Borussia Dortmund at BayArena.
“The club and I have agreed that these two games will be my last as Bayer Leverkusen coach,” Alonso remarked during the press conference. “I owe great thanks to Bayer Leverkusen, my players and staff, all the employees of the club, and last but not least, the fantastic fans. Our success was the result of an outstanding team performance. This club, which showed exceptional trust in me, very much deserved to win the German league title for the first time. My thanks and admiration go to everybody who helped to make this triumph happen, including the DFB Pokal win in Berlin. Bayer are ready for the future. The positive path will continue, and I will be excited to follow it.”
Werner Wenning, chair of Bayer’s shareholders committee, expressed gratitude, stating, “Together with Xabi Alonso, we have written a success story just through winning the league title without defeat in a way not seen in German football. He was an outstanding ambassador at all times as coach both for our club as well as for the whole Bundesliga. Therefore, we are very grateful to Xabi Alonso.”
Fernando Carro, the CEO, noted the reputational enhancement Bayer 04 has achieved internationally under Alonso: “Bayer 04 have accomplished lasting recognition in the football world through the targeted success under Xabi Alonso. Bringing the Meisterschale to Leverkusen unbeaten, plus winning the DFB Pokal, reaching the Europa League final, and winning the Supercup makes us very proud,” he declared.
Xabi Alonso started his managerial career in 2018 at Real Madrid with the youth team before coaching the Real Sociedad’s second team until summer 2022. In October of that year, he was appointed Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach, leading to one of the most thrilling chapters in European football in recent years. As a player, Alonso captured the UEFA Champions League twice, secured the FIFA World Cup in 2010 with Spain, and enjoyed success in both La Liga and the Bundesliga, establishing himself as one of the sport’s iconic midfielders.
