Real Madrid President Florentino Pérez is facing unprecedented scrutiny following the club’s humiliating Copa del Rey exit at the hands of second-tier Albacete, just days after the dismissal of head coach Xabi Alonso.
While the initial media narrative focused on Alonso’s perceived inability to manage the locker room, the focus has shifted toward Pérez’s leadership and the quality of a roster some critics have labeled “the worst Real Madrid squad ever.”
Despite Alonso’s successful track record at Bayer Leverkusen, Pérez opted for a mid-season coaching change—appointing Castilla coach Alvaro Arbeloa—only to see the team crash out of the cup in stoppage time.
The decision to sack Alonso ahead of a seemingly “winnable” run of fixtures has left many questioning the president’s long-term strategy, with journalist Jordan Merritt noting:
“Whoever comes through next will have the same problems. If that is Jurgen Klopp, he is not going to be able to make drastic changes in six months, given that the team does not have the same fear factor across Europe.”