Jurgen Klopp sends clear message to Real Madrid over vacancy after Xabi Alonso exit

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Jurgen Klopp immediately distanced himself from the newly vacant Real Madrid job when he was quizzed about Xabi Alonso's shock departure on a live television broadcast.

Klopp, 58, has been linked with the top job at the Bernabeu before , though he has insisted he is done with management after accepting a role with Red Bull as their Head of Global Soccer following his departure from Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season.

It was announced on Monday night that Real Madrid had sacked Alonso, who only arrived at the club in June. Alvaro Arbeloa has since been placed in charge of the Spanish giants but Klopp, working as a pundit for ServusTV On , was still grilled about the Los Blancos vacancy live on air.

“It actually has (been ringing) - though not from Madrid,” he admitted when he was asked if his phone had been ringing following the news. “But yes, there were definitely a few people who felt they had to contact me directly about it!

“First of all, I think it’s another sign that something isn’t quite right there at the moment. If Xabi Alonso, who over the last two years in Leverkusen has shown what an outstanding coaching talent he is – and I think at his age and with the number of jobs he’s had, you can say that — is then forced to leave Madrid just six months later, it shows a few things.

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“On the one hand, it shows that nowadays there’s no time anymore. On the other, the expectations at Real Madrid are obviously enormous. To make a decision like that in the heat of the moment, after losing a cup final to Barcelona yesterday, says a lot.”

Klopp, who was also fleetingly linked with a shock return to Liverpool earlier this season amid a challenging run of form for his successor, Arne Slot , continued: “I think we’d already been hearing rumours for a while.

“And now – I don’t know if that’s where your question was going – but this has absolutely nothing to do with me, and it didn’t trigger anything for me either, which would probably have been the follow-up question.

“I was surprised, that’s true – genuinely surprised. Then a few people messaged me, and I replied with various emojis.”

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Alonso lasted just seven months in the role despite losing just six of his 34 matches at the helm. The former Bayer Leverkusen's reign was plagued, though, by reports of behind-the-scenes turmoil.

Less than 24 hours after news of his sacking, Alonso took to social media to address his exit , saying: “This chapter of my career has come to an end, and it hasn't gone as we would have liked.

“Coaching Real Madrid has been both an honour and a responsibility. I thank the club, the players, and above all, the fans and Madrid fans for their trust and support. I leave with respect, gratitude, and pride that I did my best.”

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