Real Madrid have ring-fenced the final week of May to unveil Xabi Alonso as the club’s next head coach, pencilling the official presentation in for 27–28 May, immediately after their last La Liga fixture away to Real Sociedad. The decision, confirmed by several sources close to the Bernabéu hierarchy, ends weeks of speculation and signals the dawn of a new sporting project under one of the club’s most beloved former midfield generals.
A choreographed hand-over
Current boss Carlo Ancelotti will bow out on 25 May before taking charge of the Brazilian national team, a departure Real Madrid want to celebrate without distraction. Only once the Italian’s farewell is complete will Florentino Pérez step forward alongside Alonso on the stadium’s newly-renovated pitch for the traditional photo call and press conference.
Why Alonso — and why now?
Alonso’s reputation has soared since guiding Bayer Leverkusen from relegation trouble to their first Bundesliga crown in just two-and-a-half seasons. His proactive 3-2-2-3 pressing system, meticulous man-management and fluent Spanish-German-English locker-room presence made him Pérez’s first choice the moment Ancelotti confirmed his Brazil adventure. A club official even let slip last weekend that the agreement was “only missing the date” — words that rapidly became headlines across Spain.
Contract details and back-room blueprint
While neither party will comment publicly before the unveiling, sources indicate Alonso will sign a four-year deal through June 2029 with an optional fifth season. His trusted Leverkusen lieutenants, assistant Sebastian Kusche and performance guru José Barroso, are expected to follow, while former Madrid defender Álvaro Arbeloa — currently coaching the U-19s — could be promoted to round out a staff steeped in club DNA.
Market moves already in motion
Alonso has already sketched out a summer transfer wish-list during discreet meetings at Valdebebas. Trent Alexander-Arnold (free agent), Benfica left-back Álvaro Carreras and a reunion with Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz headline the dossier. Madrid’s board, mindful of both the new coach’s tactical needs and UEFA’s evolving squad-registration rules for the expanded Club World Cup in the United States, are confident at least two of those targets will arrive before pre-season.
Dressing-room reaction
Club captain Dani Carvajal, who shared the Castilla dressing room with Alonso in 2012, publicly backed the move on Tuesday: “Xabi reads the game one play ahead; he’ll fit Madrid’s demands in a heartbeat.” Senior voices inside the squad echo that view, pointing to the Basque’s calm authority and Champions League pedigree.
What happens on 27–28 May?
If the club’s current plan holds, the timeline will run as follows:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sun 25 May | Final La Liga match vs Real Sociedad (Ancelotti farewell) |
| Mon 26 May | Squad recovery day; stadium prepared for presentation |
| Tue 27 May | 11:00 CET – contract signing & photo op in the boardroom12:30 CET – public presentation at the Bernabéu14:00 CET – press conference in the Auditorio Alfredo Di Stéfano |
| Wed 28 May (provisional) | Overflow media duties, first training session with available players |
Club sources stress the schedule could slide by 24 hours if broadcast partners request additional coverage windows, but the internal memo circulated on Monday fixes 27 May as “D-Day”.
A new era takes shape
With the domestic title race decided and the Club World Cup looming in July, Real Madrid view Alonso’s arrival as the perfect springboard into a transformative summer — one that could reshape tactics, recruitment and, perhaps most importantly, the club’s identity on and off the pitch. Supporters will finally get their first glimpse of that vision in less than a week.
As Florentino Pérez likes to say, “Las grandes historias del Madrid nunca terminan, solo empiezan de nuevo.” For Xabi Alonso, the next chapter is about to begin.