Xabi Alonso to begin Real Madrid reign at Club World Cup

There has yet to be an official announcement, but it is widely understood that Xabi Alonso will succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the helm of the Madrid side. The Spaniard, who bid farewell to Bayer Leverkusen fans at the BayArena over the weekend, will take the reins in the coming weeks.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Alonso's contract with Real Madrid will run until 2028 — a detail already circulating in recent days. However, the Italian journalist has now added a crucial element - the date Alonso is due to begin.

Romano reports that the Basque coach will lead Real Madrid at this summer's Club World Cup, putting an end to speculation that an interim manager might be installed between Ancelotti's departure and Alonso's arrival.

Recent rumours had suggested that Santiago Solari — who previously took temporary charge of Madrid during the 2018/19 season — could be brought back as a caretaker manager to bridge the gap. Under that scenario, Solari would have overseen the Club World Cup campaign before handing over to Alonso.

However, plans in Madrid appear to have shifted in recent days. All signs now point to Alonso beginning his new role at the end of May and taking charge of his first official match in June against Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia.

In just over a fortnight, then, Alonso will begin his managerial journey at Real Madrid in high-profile fashion.

He will be handed an immediate opportunity to make amends for what has been a disappointing campaign for Los Blancos, who have only lifted the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup this season, having fallen short in the Spanish Super Cup, La Liga, and Copa del Rey — not to mention their painful Champions League exit at the hands of Arsenal.