He might have been a playing legend but that ended up counting for nothing as Xabi Alonso became the latest Real Madrid manager to be crushed between the weight of galacticos and the biggest Madrileno of them all, Florentino Perez. Was it doomed from the start?

Good luck then, Alvaro Arbeloa, with taming the beast. Miguel Delaney and Rory Smith join John Brewin to discuss football’s most preposterous and haughty club. Has Xabi’s reputation as one of the best coaches in world football suffered? Does the white storm still possess the power of old? Are the galacticos as good as they think they are?

P1: (02:24)

P2: (28:24)

Produced by: Tom Bassam

Email in via [email protected]

Subscribe to our YouTube channel @liberopod

Follow us on X @podcast_libero

Follow us on Bluesky @liberopodcast.bsky.social

Follow us on Instagram @liberopod

Follow us on TikTok @liberopod

Follow us on Facebook @liberopod

Music: Kid Kodi - Blue Dot Sessions

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices