Former Liverpool coach, Jürgen Klopp, has shot down swelling speculations linking him to Santiago Bernabeu. He was alleged to be the preferred candidate to replace Real Madrid’s immediate past manager Xabi Alonso, who the club parted ways with after their loss to Barcelona during the last El Clásico.

Setting the record straight, Klopp has ruled himself out for the vacant position, explicitly noting that he has no intention of returning to the dugout now. The 58-year-old, who has been at Red Bull for about a year, addressing the rumours from RB Leipzig’s headquarters, stated that Alonso’s exit "had nothing to do with me and hasn’t triggered anything in me either".

He reaffirmed his ability to manage aclub again, however, shot down expectations of his return to football coaching; commending his current employer’s defining role, which has brought him ‘complete peace’.

"I know I can coach a football team, but that doesn’t mean I have to do it until my last day," he explained. "I wanted to do something different. Red Bull allowed me to find a role which we have been defining together, step by step. I’m in a place as a person where I’m completely at peace with where I am. I don’t want to be somewhere else," Klopp bluntly stated.

Since his appointment in early 2025, seven months after his emotional departure from Anfield, there has been widespread confusion regarding what Klopp’s new position actually entails. Overseeing a vast network that includes RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Bragantino, and RB Omiya Ardija, his remit is broad but, he insists, clearly defined.

"That’s the last title I ever want to have," Klopp asserted. "It’s an advisory role, but with power. But I’m not a person who shoots from far away. So that means I listen and rely a lot on the people at the clubs. I calm things down in some moments, and make decisions in others."

His influence is already being felt in recruitment meetings, where his charisma remains a potent weapon. Marcel Schaefer, Leipzig’s sporting director, described Klopp as having a "god-given talent to capture people in just a few minutes". This was evident in the acquisition of winger Johan Bakayoko from PSV, who was swayed not by a hard sell, but by a conversation with Klopp about footballing philosophy and personal development.

Klopp's comments come just a weekafter Real Madrid announced that their contract with Xabi had ended. The 44-year-old Spaniard signed a three-year contract with the Madridistas; however, his stint was truncated after a Supercopa de España final defeat to Barcelona in Saudi Arabia.

During his eight-month spell, Alonso oversaw 34 matches, winning 24, drawing 4, and losing 6, a win rate of just over 70 percent. His side scored 41 goals in La Liga while conceding only 17, giving Madrid the best defensive record in Spain at the time. Despite a strong start, including a notable El Clásico victory, the team faltered in key fixtures.

The breaking point came with a 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, which compounded a run of inconsistent results in Europe and the league. Though Alonso’s Madrid remained second in La Liga with 45 points from 19 games, the lack of momentum and tactical clarity ultimately cost him his position.

Xabi replaced Madrid's legendary coach, Carlo Ancelotti

In May last year, Real Madrid officially confirmed the departure of Carlo Ancelotti by the season's end. The Italian coach was announced to bid farewell to fans and the club after their last game of the season against Real Sociedad on Saturday, May 24.

In a statement from the club shared on Friday, the Spanish giants expressed their gratitude to the coach, hailing him as one of the greatest the club has had in the over-a-century-old club.

“Real Madrid C. F. and Carlo Ancelotti have reached an agreement to end his time as Real Madrid coach. Our club would like to express its gratitude and affection to one of the great legends of Real Madrid and world football.

“Carlo Ancelotti has led our team through one of the most successful periods in our 123 years of existence and has become the coach with the most titles in our history: Three European Cups, three Club World Cups, three European Super Cups, two leagues, two Copa del Reys, and two Spanish Super Cups. In total, 15 titles during the six seasons in which he has belonged to our club,” parts of the statement read.

The club's president, Florentino Perez, added, “Carlo Ancelotti will forever be part of the great Madridista family.

“We feel incredibly honoured to have had the chance to enjoy a coach who has helped us achieve so much success but who has also embodied our club’s values in such exemplary fashion.”

Reacting to the club's official announcement, Ancelotti thanked all members of the club, highlighting the hard work and memories created together at Bernabeu, labeling it as now a part of "football history.

He, however, acknowledged that though a new journey begins, his "bond with Real Madrid is eternal. See you soon, Madridistas.”

He wrote in a social media post, "Today we part ways again. Once again I take in my heart every moment lived in this wonderful second spell as Real Madrid coach

“They have been unforgettable years, an incredible journey full of emotions, titles, and, above all, the pride of representing this badge.

“Thanks to the president, Florentino Perez, to the club, to my players, to my staff, and, above all, to this unique fan base that has always made me feel like one of them.

“What we have achieved together will remain forever in the memory of Real Madrid fans, not only for the triumphs, but for the way we achieved them. The magical nights of the Bernabeu are now football history.

“Now a new adventure begins, but my bond with Real Madrid is eternal. See you soon, Madridistas.”