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The images circulated quickly. Kylian Mbappe gesturing for his teammates to leave the pitch, Xabi Alonso asking him to stay, Mbappe insisting, and Alonso ultimately turning away. There was no guard of honour for Barcelona after their Spanish Super Cup victory on Sunday. For many, it appeared a lack of sporting courtesy, something unexpected from a manager of Alonso's stature. It also suggested a deeper truth: the team, rather than the coach, was in control.
The match had been tight and decided by a deflection, and it seemed to capture Alonso's growing frustration. This was not a resignation, and it was not planned. Alonso did not anticipate leaving Real Madrid just seven months after his appointment. The club's official statement described the departure as a "mutual agreement," but for many observers, it was inevitable.
After months of disagreements over tactics and approach, the board met Monday afternoon to discuss Alonso's future. The explanations offered were vague. Comments were made that he had been unable to implement the style of football that had brought him success at Bayer Leverkusen, that the team's fitness was lacking, and that players
