Jurgen Klopp v Xabi Alonso: Assessing Real Madrid's managerial candidates

It appears to be a two-horse race between Jurgen Klopp and Xabi Alonso to be named the next Real Madrid manager.

Alonso appeared to be a shoo-in for the job on the back of his remarkable first full season as Bayer Leverkusen boss, where only a loss in the Europa League final denied his side an unbeaten campaign.

They were, however, unbeaten domestically, winning a league and cup double, with Alonso establishing himself as the hottest property in football.

With Carlo Ancelotti expected to leave at the end of the season – or perhaps sooner if reports are to be believed – Los Blancos will be eyeing up replacements, but a surprising contender has emerged in Klopp, with the former Liverpool boss backed in from 33/1 to 6/4.

Klopp surprised many with his decision to join the Red Bull group, taking on the role of Head of Global Soccer, having criticised the multi-club ownership model in the past, but only a few months into the role and the former Liverpool boss is reportedly unhappy.

The 57-year-old had been linked with a number of international jobs including Germany, England and the United States, but claimed last summer that his coaching career had come to a permanent end.

It is thought Klopp has had a change of heart, though only the Brazil and Real Madrid jobs could tempt him out of retirement.

Klopp and Alonso would represent significantly different managerial approaches.

Klopp made his name as a manager with his high-intensity gegenpressing style, relying on all 11 players to buy into his system, meaning he would need the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe to defend from the front, as the likes of Robert Firmino and Sadio Mane did at Liverpool.

In terms of formation, Klopp utilised his two full-backs for width, with his midfield three largely acting as box-to-box midfielders, responsible for closing down space in the middle third and progressing the ball forward.

In Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde, Klopp’s midfield looks ready-made, though he may prefer to keep Jude Bellingham in a deeper role, and keep a front three of Vinicius, Mbappe and Rodrygo.

Klopp would also likely reunite with Trent Alexander-Arnold, who’s expected to join Real on a free transfer in the summer.

The biggest adjustment for Klopp would perhaps be in shifting to the Real Madrid mindset. Klopp has spent much of his career at Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, two underdogs fighting against more established sides with vastly superior resources. Klopp was always able to harness that underdog status and create something of a siege mentality, guiding both clubs to league titles against the odds.

At Real Madrid however, expectations will be significantly greater, with the side expected to win every trophy every season.

Alonso is well used to the pressure at the Bernabeu, having spent five years there, winning both the league and UEFA Champions League, and is perhaps more in the Zinedine Zidane mould of a former player stepping into the dugout.

Tactically, Alonso would represent a huge shift from both the incumbent Ancelotti and the potential Klopp.

In terms of formation, Alonso has always utilised a back three at Leverkusen, with wing-backs Alex Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong essentially acting as wingers, scoring 26 goals between them in the 2023/24 season.

Alonso has typically gone with a midfield two with two number 10s playing behind a lone front man, but that would involve one of their star forwards being dropped.

Alonso will likely stick to three central defenders, though he’d need reinforcements with Antonio Rudiger and Lucas Vazquez in their 30s. Alexander-Arnold would be one of the wing-backs should his move go ahead, with Fran Garcia, Ferland Mendy or a new signing being deployed down the left.

Between Tchouameni, Camavinga and Valverde, Alonso isn’t short of options in midfield, with Bellingham likely deployed in the Florian Wirtz role. It does, however, mean neither Mbappe or Vinicius Jr could operate in their preferred role on the left wing, with Rodrygo’s place also unclear.

Both Klopp and Alonso have proven themselves as top managers, with Klopp building a portfolio of work for more than a decade, but Alonso having Real Madrid experience.

Right now it’s unclear who Los Blancos will plump for, but in succeeding Ancelotti, who’s won the UEFA Champions League three times at the club, whoever it is will have big shoes to fill.

Liam Williams

• Real Madrid CF
• La Liga
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