Real Madrid’s decision to dismiss Xabi Alonso has drawn attention to a crucial clause written into his contract.
Notably, the coach was relieved of his duties yesterday, less than a year after arriving in Madrid with high expectations and a long-term vision.
Alonso joined Real Madrid last summer after an impressive spell at Bayer Leverkusen, signing a three-year contract that was meant to signal stability and continuity.
According to Kicker (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Real Madrid paid between €12 million and €15 million to secure his release.
Alonso’s salary was also significant, with his annual earnings reported to be between €7 million and €9 million.
How much will Real Madrid pay?
Under normal circumstances, the early termination of such a contract would have forced Real Madrid to pay out the remaining years of the deal. However, that will not be the case here.
As reported by the outlet, Alonso’s contract included a specific clause that protected the club in the event of an early dismissal.
Xabi Alonso was relieved of his duties yesterday. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
This clause stated that if Real Madrid decided to part ways with Alonso during the first year of his contract, the club would only be required to pay him for that single season, rather than the full three years initially agreed.
With that condition now activated, Alonso’s compensation will be limited to one year of salary.
As things stand, the former Real Madrid midfielder is set to receive between €7 million and €9 million following his dismissal.
While that is still a substantial sum, it is significantly lower than what he could have earned had the contract been fully honoured.
As such, Alonso was brought in as a long-term solution, but results and internal dynamics ultimately forced the club into a definitive decision.
More importantly, the presence of such a clause suggests that Real Madrid anticipated potential risks, even while committing heavily to the appointment.
