Xabi Alonso's hiring at Real Madrid this past summer was meant to bring Los Blancos back to the top of the food chain both in Spain and across Europe.
Instead, Alonso is out after just eight months in charge, dismissed after his first El Clasico defeat amidst a myriad of backroom incongruencies.
As the players revolted and Alonso failed to get club executives on his side, the former Bayer Leverkusen boss couldn't find a way to safety at the world's most glamorous club.
Yet that doesn't mean Alonso won't be a wanted man as he looks for his next gig leading a club in Europe.
AllSportsPeople explains where Alonso could wind up next and how that next move might come to pass.
MORE: All about new Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa
Why was Xabi Alonso fired at Real Madrid?
There were a number of factors that led up to Xabi Alonso's departure at Real Madrid.
From a continued tactical flip-flop to tension in the dressing room, Alonso's time at Real Madrid was rife with turmoil. He made players uneasy with his rigorous training style, he clashed with executives with his inability to put on a corporate face, and he failed to generate enough good will on the pitch to cover up his behind-the-scenes struggles.
Encompassing them all is the overarching superstar-first mentality at Real Madrid which has upended plenty of coaches and players at the Bernabeu over the years.
All told, Alonso's short stint at Madrid shouldn't dissuade other top clubs from pursuing him for their next managerial opening, knowing that failing at a club like Real Madrid isn't exactly a reflection of a football coach's abilities to, well, coach football.
Where will Xabi Alonso end up next?
It's likely that Xabi Alonso will remain without a club until the summer when he can take stock of his options and review where he wishes to coach next.
Many of the possible openings could be in the Premier League.
Liverpool
Xabi Alonso was considered a candidate for Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp departed, and was mentioned multiple times in connection with the club while Arne Slot was in hot water at Anfield earlier this season.
With the Spaniard now free to look for his next landing spot, he could be a leading candidate to manage Liverpool, but first Slot would need to be fired for the Reds to look for his replacement, and at the moment the Dutchman seems to have recovered the club's form enough to remain in charge.
Manchester United
The biggest Premier League club confirmed to be needing a manager this summer is Manchester United, as the Red Devils parted ways with Ruben Amorim earlier this month.
The move is so fresh that United have yet to even secure an interim manager for the remainder of the season, with Michael Carrick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being considered.
With Alonso having turned Bayer Leverkusen into title winners in Germany, United could salivate over the prospect of bringing the Spaniard aboard and giving him significant control of club operations to implement his system which was so universally despised at Real Madrid. This could be a match made in heaven.
Tottenham Hotspur
Another Premier League club with a flailing manager is Tottenham, who are struggling under first-year head coach Thomas Frank.
With Spurs having moved away from the dictatorship of Daniel Levy, they hired former Brentford boss Thomas Frank to take over this summer for the divisive Ange Postecoglou. Sadly, it hasn't exactly brought Spurs back to new heights, as they sit 14th in the Premier League table and 11th in the Champions League table.
If Tottenham were deciding on whether to keep the faith in Frank or move on to someone else, they could be extra motivated now to try and make a play for Alonso. It would require a bit of a leap of faith.
Bayern Munich
Another of Xabi Alonso's former clubs as a player, Bayern Munich, could very easily be interested in his services in the future.
Yet right now, that looks highly unlikely as an imminent move as Vincent Kompany is having a strong season, with the Bavarian giants 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table and enjoying a strong Champions League campaign too.
Manchester City
Could Xabi Alonso be a successor to Pep Guardiola at Man City? It's absolutely a conceivable notion, but that would have to wait until Guardiola departs.