Everything was looking rosy for Xabi Alonso after a thumping 4-0 home win over Valencia on November 1, which was Real Madrid's 13th victory out of 14 games across all competitions in the first few months of the season. Los Blancos were top of La Liga by five points ahead of Clasico rivals Barcelona, who they beat 2-1 at the Bernabeu seven days earlier, and they'd racked up nine points out of a possible nine in the Champions League, with Juventus among their victims.

But the wheels have fallen off spectacularly since then. Madrid have only won two of their last eight, and now find themselves four points adrift of Barca domestically and six off European pace-setters Arsenal. A 1-0 defeat to an out-of-sorts Liverpool at Anfield started the slide, and alarm bells started ringing after three successive draws against Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Girona.

Alonso's side then hit rock bottom with a dismal 2-0 loss against Celta Vigo in front of their own fans on Sunday, prompting the board into action. According to , senior Real Madrid officials, including president Florentino Perez and general director Jose Angel Sanchez, held crunch talks over Alonso's future, concluding that the manager does "not have a good connection with a significant part of the dressing room".  It has been suggested that some players are struggling to get on board with Alonso's tactics, while a well-publicised fallout with star winger Vinicius Jr has led to a distracting transfer sideshow. 

The Madrid squad did appear to be behind Alonso in their latest outing, showing plenty of heart and urgency in attack during Manchester City's visit to the Spanish capital on Wednesday. However, it was City who ultimately emerged with a 2-1 win, and whistles rained down on Alonso from the frustrated Bernabeu crowd after the final whistle. 

Alonso is a progressive coach who needs time to stamp an identity, but that luxury is never on offer in Madrid. Change is inevitable if the inconsistency continues, and there are already seven candidates in the frame to replace the Spaniard. GOAL runs through their credentials below…

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  Jurgen Klopp

  Jurgen Klopp decided to step away from coaching after calling time on his stellar nine-year spell at Liverpool in the summer of 2024, and has since taken on the role of global head of soccer for the Red Bull Group. The charismatic German spoke to about his new life in September, saying when quizzed on whether his time in the dugout is now over: "That’s what I think. But you don’t know. I’m 58. If I started again at 65, everybody will say, 'You said you’ll never do it again!' I don’t miss anything."

  His stance appeared to have softened last month, though, as he described a potential return to Liverpool as "theoretically possible". Back in April, Klopp was in the frame for the Madrid job alongside Alonso when murmurs of Carlo Ancelotti's departure began, but reported that he would wait until next summer to decide on any management opportunities. 

  However, now claims that Madrid are ready to test Klopp's resolve. He is said to be one of the "favourites" to step in if Alonso is sacked, and he certainly has the personality and experience to spark an instant turnaround. Klopp's heavy-metal brand of football would surely be a hit with the Madrid faithful, too, but his true motivations remain unclear, so this feels like a dream appointment rather than a realistic one at the moment.

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  Zinedine Zidane

  Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest players and managers to ever grace the Bernabeu, which is why his name pops up every time there is talk of a coaching reshuffle in Madrid. claims that Perez still has great "confidence and affection" for Zidane, who delivered three successive Champions League titles during his first stint in the hot seat.

  The president brought him back once before, in similar times of crisis back in March 2019 after the disastrous short reigns of Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari. Zidane went on to deliver the 2019-20 La Liga title, but resigned at the end of the following campaign, and has been unemployed ever since.

  Zidane is an adaptable coach who balances defensive solidity with attacking flair, and he knows how to get the best out of world-class players, much like Ancelotti. But it is the worst-kept secret in football that Zidane is waiting to take the reins of the France national team. With Didier Deschamps set to step down after the 2026 World Cup, it is expected that Zidane is being primed to usher in a new era for Les Bleus. It would be a huge surprise if he performed a U-turn now, especially for a Madrid squad dealing with a crisis of confidence and numerous injuries.

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  Andoni Iraola

  In February, the claimed that Madrid had identified Andoni Iraola as a lead contender to succeed Ancelotti. Iraola previously managed in Madrid at Rayo Vallecano, who he took from the Segunda Division to 11th in La Liga and the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. 

  Bournemouth bought into his billing as one of the most exciting young coaches in Europe when handing him a two-year contract in June 2023, and he's since enhanced his reputation. The Cherries are now in the mix for European qualification thanks to Iraola's attack-minded blueprint for success, with a high-pressing system and focus on vertical passing making them a match for even the very best Premier League teams.

  The consensus is, Iraola will soon move on to bigger and better things. The 43-year-old has exceeded expectations in both La Liga and the Premier League, and Madrid's interest has probably only increased over the past 11 months. The Bernabeu is a pressure cooker like no other, but Iraola has the calm demeanour to deal with it, and wouldn't be afraid to take risks in order to bring the team out of its funk. 

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  Marcelino

  If Madrid decide to look close to home, one name stands out above all others in La Liga: Marcelino Garcia Toral. Thanks to his disciplined approach, Villarreal are sitting third in La Liga, five points behind Barca with a game in hand, and there is genuine belief in the Castellon province that they can push for the title.

  Villarreal boast the best defensive record in La Liga at present, with Marcelino's compact 4-4-2 formation forcing opponents wide, and they can be devastating on the transition with plenty of pace and guile in the final third. The 60-year-old Spaniard inherited a squad languishing in 14th when he returned to El Madrigal for a second spell in November 2023, and has transformed their fortunes in remarkable style, with a fifth-placed finish last term taking the club back into the Champions League.

  The Yellow Submarine have really struggled in Europe's elite competition, which would be a concern for Madrid if they do seriously consider Marcelino, but only Alonso, Hansi Flick, Diego Simeone and Manuel Pellegrini have stronger CVs among the current coaching pool in Spain. Marcelino guided Villarreal to the Europa League semis in his first stint, won the Copa del Rey with Valencia in 2018-19 and reached the final a further two times with Athletic Club.

  If Villarreal can move ahead of Madrid as the main challengers for Barca's crown, Perez may decide Marcelino is the right man to bring domestic glory back to the Bernabeu.

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