Real Madrid’s decision to release Xabi Alonso has sparked a heated debate across the soccer world. And, Russian former mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) icon Khabib Nurmagomedov has launched a scathing attack on Real Madrid.
But what has the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion said about Los Merengues?
UFC Icon Hits Out at Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso Decision
After Real Madrid fired former Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso, Nurmagomedov asserted that the La Liga outfit was wrong to dismiss the Spanish tactician on Monday, Jan. 12.
“If you come into a gymnasium or onto the pitch, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a fighter or a footballer; the head coach is in charge. But if the atmosphere inside your team doesn’t allow everyone to follow your instructions, then you’re definitely not on the right path,” the Los Blancos supporter wrote in an Instagram story.
“I believe Alonso is among the top three coaches in modern soccer. If a team doesn’t work with him, you need to change the players, not the coach. I’m convinced no coach can cope with such a squad at Real Madrid. You need to get rid of the irregular players,” he added.
In another Instagram story, Nurmagomedov suggested Los Blancos failed to respect Alonso and decided to sack the former Liverpool midfielder to appease their superstar players. The Russian wrote, “There is nothing like loyalty. One year ago, they begged him (to join). Now they have fired him. Because of spoiled kids. Xabi, you are the best.”
Alonso, who represented Los Blancos as a player between 2009 and 2014, reportedly had a falling out with both Real Madrid’s hierarchy and certain players. The Spaniard was told the players had not improved and were not playing for him during his seven-month reign.
READ MORE: Fans React to New Real Madrid Coach After Xabi Alonso’s Exit
On the other hand, Alonso also reportedly struggled to manage the personalities in the Real Madrid locker room. While Kylian Mbappe refused to listen to him after a recent 3-2 Supercopa de Espana final loss to Barcelona, Vinicius Junior had an enraged reaction to being substituted by Alonso in a 2-1 La Liga victory against the Blaugrana last October.
After joining Los Merengues in July 2025, Alonso oversaw 34 games across competitions at Real Madrid as their head coach. The 44-year-old helped Real Madrid club record 24 victories and six defeats, scoring an excellent 78 goals, in the ongoing 2025-26 campaign.
So far, Alonso has won three trophies, including a Bundesliga title in 2024, as a manager.
