As Real Madrid look ahead to life after Carlo Ancelotti, one name continues to generate headlines and capture the imagination of fans: Xabi Alonso. With his managerial star rising rapidly after a historic 2023/24 season at Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso is widely seen as a natural heir to the Bernabéu throne. But with that growing momentum comes a tactical debate that’s dividing pundits and fans alike: should Real Madrid hire a manager who favors a 3- or 5-at-the-back system, given the club’s longstanding preference for a classic back four?

The conversation is valid—but the framing may be off. Instead of asking if Xabi Alonso can adapt to Real Madrid’s culture, maybe we should be asking something more fundamental: why hire him if you’re not going to let him coach the way that made him great?

The Tactical Origins of a Rising Star

Alonso’s tactical style at Leverkusen has been a part of a major cultural shift in the footballing world, with more managers electing to play three at the back and feature wingbacks to create width.

His 3-4-2-1 formation—often fluidly shifting to a 4-4-2 shape off the ball and a 3-5-2 in possession—helped engineer one of the most dominant Bundesliga campaigns in recent memory. It’s a structure that fosters control through wide overloads, layered midfield movement, and a defense-first mindset that encourages front-foot pressure.

The system is built around flexibility and diamonds of passing support, creating compactness in defense and cohesion in attack. Alonso’s teams press high, suffocate central build-up, and punish mistakes in transition. It’s methodical, calculated, and ruthlessly effective.

It also doesn’t rely on four defenders.

Can Xabi Use a Back Four? Absolutely.

Let’s make one thing clear: Alonso isn’t a tactical ideologue. He’s not wedded to three center backs out of stubbornness or simplicity. As a player, he operated under some of the best four-at-the-back managers in the world—Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho, Rafael Benítez, Vicente del Bosque, Carlo Ancelotti. His time at Real Madrid as a player means he’s well aware of the club’s identity and expectations.

In fact, there’s little doubt that Alonso can coach a traditional 4-3-3. He understands the spacing, the defensive responsibilities, and the transition patterns. His tactical IQ is too high not to.

But just because he can doesn’t mean he should—or that it’s in Real Madrid’s best interest to make him.

History vs. Evolution: Madrid’s Relationship with Systems

Part of the skepticism stems from Real Madrid’s deeply entrenched stylistic preferences. The club has historically favored attacking flair, wide play, and a back four. From the Galácticos era to the present day, the variations of a 4-back set have been the bedrock.

But it goes beyond just how many central defenders are on the pitch.

The current Real Madrid squad features some of the most dynamic wing players in the world – Kylian Mbappe is perhaps the best left wing in the world but is being forced to play more centrally as a number 9 to accommodate Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo. You could argue that Real Madrid feature 3 of the five best wingers in the world, yet they’re being linked with a manager that doesn’t feature any in his preferred tactical system.

But let’s not act like Real Madrid has never deviated. Zinédine Zidane used a back three at times in big matches, including El Clásicos. José Mourinho dabbled with different shapes to protect leads or exploit weaknesses. Even Ancelotti has tinkered. The idea that Real Madrid’s DNA is inflexible is more myth than reality.

Still, there’s a cultural undercurrent here—one that resists tactical conservatism and glorifies high-octane, wing-driven football. So while the skepticism isn’t entirely unfounded, it feels increasingly outdated in a world where elite football is defined by adaptability and innovation.

Alonso can surely be adaptable. But should he be the one adapting? Or should Real Madrid fans be the ones to open their eyes to the possibility of bigger and better things?

The Real Question: Why Hire a Master Chef and Change the Recipe?

If Real Madrid’s board and fanbase are going to ask Alonso to switch to a different tactical structure the moment he arrives, it begs the question: why hire him at all?

His brilliance at Leverkusen has stemmed not just from the results, but from how he got there. Yes, he dabbled with a more traditional 4-at-the-back during his time leading Real Sociedad’s B team, but his entire coaching reputation has been built on his ability to implement and refine a three-at-the-back structure that allows his midfielders to dominate, his defenders to step into midfield, and his attackers to find space in wide half-channels.

To bring Alonso to Madrid and tell him to change would be like buying a Ferrari and immediately swapping out the engine. Sure, it might still run. But it’s not what you paid for. Alon so appears to be a great coach. It might be wise for whatever club that hires him to allow him to do the things that have thus far made him great. If Real Madrid insist on playing four at the back, there are other options.

What About Klopp?

Comparisons have naturally emerged with other potential candidates like Jürgen Klopp, who’s also been loosely linked with the Madrid job. Klopp’s preference for a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 does align more neatly with traditional Real Madrid expectations.

But stylistically, Klopp’s pressing-heavy system is just as demanding, if not more so, than Alonso’s and Madrid’s cavalcade of star wingers aren’t exactly known for their willingness to press.

If fit-to-system is the deciding factor, Klopp may appear more convenient. But hiring a manager just because he runs a familiar setup risks missing the point. Alonso doesn’t just have a great system—he has a system that works, and that has taken Leverkusen from mediocrity to dominance in less than two seasons.

The Bottom Line: Let the Manager Be the Manager

Real Madrid is one of the few clubs in the world that can hire anyone. That’s power. But with that power comes responsibility—and part of that responsibility is knowing when to get out of your own way.

Xabi Alonso has shown what he can do when given the reins. His tactical structure isn’t just a quirk; it’s the vehicle through which he creates order, control, and results. Asking him to abandon that structure in the name of tradition would be both short-sighted and self-defeating.

If Madrid wants Alonso, they should want all of him—not just the name, the familiarity, or the nostalgia. Because the real value in hiring him isn’t what he could become—it’s what he already is.

And if that doesn’t fit with Real Madrid’s identity, then maybe it’s the identity—not the manager—that needs to evolve.