Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal said “only time will tell” if Carlo Ancelotti’s likely successor, Xabi Alonso, can “revert the situation” following the team’s disappointing season.
Saturday’s season finale against Real Sociedad will be Ancelotti’s last game in charge of Madrid before he takes the reins of Brazil’s national team.
Madrid have not made Alonso’s appointment official, but it is widely expected that the Spanish coach will return to his former club after announcing his departure from Bayer Leverkusen.
“It looks like Xabi is going to be the one coming in even though it’s not official,” Carvajal told reporters.
“Only time will tell if Xabi is the right man to turn this year around, as we haven’t won any of the three major titles. But that’s football. In the end, results are what determine the future of coaches, players.”
Former Real Madrid midfielder Alonso is set to take charge ahead of the start of next month’s FIFA Club World Cup. The 43-year-old has spent almost three seasons at Leverkusen and guided the team to a historic undefeated league campaign in 2023-24 as part of a domestic double.
Carvajal added: “Xabi has just had two fantastic seasons with Bayer Leverkusen and I think he will do very well.
“He knows the club better than anyone, he’s been a player, he’s defended the badge for many years, he knows what it means to be a Madrid player, and I think that’s also a plus for him as a coach.”
Madrid were eliminated by Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinals and lost to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final. Ancelotti’s side waved goodbye to their league title hopes with a 5-4 defeat at Barça in the Clasico on May 11 and will finish second behind their arch-rivals.
Ancelotti won 15 trophies during two spells as Madrid manager and last season led them to a Champions League and LaLiga double.
“I have mixed feelings,” Carvajal said. “I’m very sad about Carlo’s departure. I’m sad to see him go. I’ve been with him for many years, in his first spell and in this second one, we’ve won everything with him. He’s like a footballing father to me and, well, I say this with great sadness, but in the end I hope that next Saturday the coach gets the send-off he deserves as the most successful coach in the club’s history.”
Alonso is not the only addition that Madrid will have in June, with the club confirming the signing of Spain defender Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth.
“It’s a great signing, he [Huijsen] is a good player,” Carvajal said. “I’m sure he’ll help us a lot.”
Madrid are also expected to sign Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold as a free agent but Carvajal does not fear having to compete for a spot with the England international.
“Facing competition from Trent Alexander-Arnold? It is not official yet, but it seems it will happen,” the Spain international said. “Fear? We don’t talk about fear here, we’ll be teammates. Competition improves both of us and brings out the best in each of us.”
Carvajal, who suffered an ACL rupture in October, has provided an update on his potential return date.
“I’m travelling to the Club World Cup,” the 33-year-old said. “There I’ll start working with the team and assess when I can compete.”
Madrid are also looking at strengthening their full-back position, with Leverkusen defender Alejandro Grimaldo among those reportedly being considered.
A former youth product of Barcelona, Grimaldo, 26, just completed his second season under Alonso at Leverkusen and would be open to following his coach to the Bernabéu this summer.
Asked if his dream is to play at Real Madrid, Grimaldo told Cadena Cope: “I have always dreamed of playing for a big club, that has always been my goal. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético are big clubs, and there are many big clubs in England. It’s not that I don’t want to be at Leverkusen. But every player has his goals. My club has known that my dream is to go back to Spain since the first day they signed me. My goal is to play in Spain again.”
Grimaldo, who joined Leverkusen in the summer of 2023 from Benfica, had only positive things to say about Alonso.
“My relationship with him has always been very good,” he said. “He knows I went to Leverkusen because of him. I’m very grateful to him for looking after me these past two years.”
