Real Madrid Next Manager Odds: Favourite Emerges With Xabi Alonso On The Brink

A former Premier League manager is currently the bookmakers' favourite to replace Xabi Alonso after an out-of-sorts Real Madrid suffered a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City.

Earlier this week, a bombshell report from Spanish outlet Marca suggested a group of Madrid officials, including president Florentino Perez, met for 'crisis talks' over Los Blancos' recent slump in form.

Coming into their Champions League clash on Wednesday, Real had won only two of their last seven games in all competitions, with last week's 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo being fresh in the memory.

Several topics were reportedly discussed in the meeting, including the future of Alonso, who was only appointed in May following a successful spell at Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.

It was also said that his job could depend on how Madrid performed against Manchester City.

In fact, a report from Team Talk suggested that if Los Blancos failed to achieve a positive result against Pep Guardiola's side at the Bernabeu, then Alonso would be "relieved of his duties" after just six months in charge.

Unfortunately for Alonso, his side fell to a 2-1 defeat against City as goals from Nico O'Reilly and Erling Haaland sealed all three points for the travelling Citizens.

Talk has inevitably turned to the Spaniard's immediate future in Madrid, with former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp being priced up as the bookies' favourite to replace Alonso at 2/1.

Club legend Zinedine Zidane, who led Real to three consecutive Champions League trophies during his first spell in charge at the Bernabeu, is the second favourite at 3/1, as per Oddschecker.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is also high on the list at 10/1, while Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth (12/1) and Marseille manager Roberto De Zerbi (16/1) have also been priced up by the bookies.

Fabian Hurzeler, Unai Emery, Steven Gerrard and Simone Inzaghi have also emerged as 16/1 favourites.

Xabi Alonso has already made it clear which clubs he would be willing to manage

Even if Madrid managed to beat City, Spanish journalist Guillem Balague suggested Alonso's chances of surviving as manager were "very slim".

Balague also reported that when Alonso was appointed Bayer Leverkusen manager, he asked for permission to leave if any of his former clubs, or Manchester City, made an approach to hire him.

Alongside Real Madrid, Alonso also played for Real Sociedad, Bayern Munich and Liverpool during his playing career.

The former midfielder was linked with the Liverpool job last year as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp before the club appointed Arne Slot.

Despite winning the Premier League title in his debut season, Slot is currently the bookies' favourite to be the next Premier League manager to lose his job as the Reds sit tenth in the league table.