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Real Madrid Star Reveals the Difference Between Xabi Alonso and Carlo Ancelotti

Originally posted on Real Madrid CF on SI
By Apratim Banerjee | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 9:25 AM ET

Xabi Alonso took over as the Real Madrid manager after Carlo Ancelotti parted ways with the club after the 2024-25 season. The Italian, now in charge of Brazil, is the most successful manager in Los Blancos history. He won 15 trophies with the club, including three UEFA Champions League titles.

Alonso has big shoes to fill. His first four games in charge, though, are giving off positive signs as Real Madrid are unbeaten (three wins, one draw) and have reached the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals. They will play Borussia Dortmund in the last eight.

Ahead of the game, Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Aurelien Tchouameni faced questions from the media. Tchouameni was asked about the difference between playing under Alonso and Ancelotti. The French midfielder explained (via Real Madrid):

Carlo was a fantastic coach and we won a lot of trophies with him and he has done incredible things in football. Xabi has won a lot of things in Germany and we're gradually understanding his style of possession and defending all together.Aurelien Tchouameni

Arda Guler, meanwhile, has now made four appearances in the Club World Cup, amassing a total 250 minutes of game time where he has scored once. He is already getting more time on the pitch than he usually did under Ancelotti.

When asked what Alonso expects of him on the pitch, the Turkish prodigy answered: