Both Real Madrid and Barcelona's managers started their 34 matches with 24 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses; Alonso was dismissed while Flick secured four titles.

Managing the Premier League's Big Six is tough, and so is leading La Liga's top two, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Xavi Alonso started coaching Real Madrid this season but was dismissed after only seven months. Media data reveals that Alonso and Barcelona's coach Flick shared the same opening record of 24 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses in their initial 34 matches, both boasting win rates above 70%. However, their fates diverged completely: Alonso left in disappointment, while Flick won four trophies and earned the admiration of Barcelona’s club and fans.

• Alonso: Up to now this season coaching Real Madrid, he has a record of 23 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses in 34 matches, including 1 win and 1 loss in El Clásico, lost the Spanish Super Cup title, and was subsequently dismissed by Real Madrid.
• Flick: In his first 34 matches (from August 2024 to 2025), he achieved 23 wins, 4 draws, and 6 losses, including beating Real Madrid twice and winning the Spanish Super Cup. So far, he has led Barcelona in 88 matches with 66 wins, 9 draws, and 13 losses, raising his win rate to 75%, and has claimed four trophies: two Spanish Super Cups, one La Liga title, and one Copa del Rey.

In my opinion, the Barcelona team under Flick and the Real Madrid squad under Alonso are completely different setups. Real Madrid started with a 300 million euro investment, whereas Barcelona is in a rebuilding phase. Although their first 34 matches show similar results, Flick’s team defeated Real Madrid twice and achieved consecutive 4-goal wins against Real Madrid and Bayern, which adds extra credit. These different team contexts have shaped the contrasting destinies of the two coaches. Perhaps Alonso is not yet ready to manage a top club in one of the big five leagues. What do you think about this?