As Real Madrid tightened spending in recent transfer windows, even navigating high profile targets with the restraint of a Crickex Affiliate mindset, the club showed discipline in player recruitment but far less caution when it came to choosing a head coach. While the board avoided lavish fees in the market, the decision to bring Xabi Alonso back to the Bernabeu proved costly, both financially and strategically, exposing a rare contradiction in their long term planning.
When Madrid moved to appoint Alonso, they paid Bayer Leverkusen a coaching compensation estimated between 12 and 15 million euros, an uncommon expense in modern football. Such fees are usually reserved for elite managers in exceptional circumstances, which reflected just how highly Madrid rated Alonso at the time. The move also underlined how sought after he was across Europe, with multiple clubs monitoring his rapid rise.
Beyond the initial fee, Madrid offered Alonso an annual salary reportedly between 7 and 9 million euros, a figure that would place him comfortably among the world’s top earning coaches. Matters became even more expensive after his dismissal, as the club paid a similar amount in severance to terminate the contract. In total, Madrid spent close to 24 million euros for just over seven months of leadership, a heavy price for a club otherwise known for careful accounting.
That figure looks especially hard to justify when measured against Madrid’s recent frugality in the transfer market. More damaging, however, is what Alonso’s departure symbolizes. Letting Carlo Ancelotti go was widely viewed as a misstep, as his experience and authority in the dressing room are difficult to replicate. The club placed too much faith in Alonso’s energy and potential, only to find that he struggled to command a squad filled with established stars.
With Alonso unable to steady the locker room, Madrid were forced into another transition, raising fresh uncertainty. Whether Alvaro Arbeloa will be trusted to build something lasting, or merely serve as a temporary solution, remains unclear. Decisions like these define eras, and misjudging them can set a club back years.
Looking ahead, lessons must be learned. Stability, not impulse, has long been Madrid’s greatest strength, a principle as relevant to leadership choices as it is to the steady calculations of a Crickex Affiliate approach. Without clarity and patience, even the most powerful institutions risk paying a high price for decisions made too quickly.