Xabi Alonso has confirmed his departure from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season, marking the end of his successful tenure as coach of the German team.
Alonso, who led Leverkusen to a historic undefeated season in the 2023-24 Bundesliga, culminating in a domestic double, will leave the club after three years.
The announcement was made at a press conference on Friday, with Sunday’s match against Borussia Dortmund as his last home game.
This week, the club and I have agreed that these last two matches will be my last as Leverkusen’s coach. Now is the right time to announce it.
Xabi Alonso
Alonso expressed his gratitude to the fans, the club staff and, especially, the players.
The 43-year-old former Real Madrid footballer also mentioned that it was the right time to make this decision, highlighting the good communication with the club and the desire for a change.
Although he did not speak about his future, it is expected that Alonso will replace Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.
The coach, despite having won two LaLiga titles and two Champions League titles in his second spell with the club, has had a disappointing season in 2024-25. Madrid has been eliminated from the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
Alonso arrived at Leverkusen in October 2022, when the club was in the relegation zone, and quickly made his mark. A domestic double followed the next season, with Leverkusen becoming the first Bundesliga team to remain undefeated during a single campaign. This year, he has guided the club to second place in the league and the round of 16 of the Champions League.
Alonso had a successful career as a player, excelling at Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as well as in the Spanish national team, winning the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships.
After retiring as a player in 2017, he began coaching in Real Madrid’s youth system and then took a position with Real Sociedad’s B team, before joining Leverkusen.
Alonso added that the players have given him a lot and that they have had a great connection. “I want to have a proper farewell with them.
When asked about his future, Alonso replied: “No. It’s not the time for that”.
