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Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler has showered praise on his former coach Xabi Alonso, revealing that the Spanish tactician sent him a personal congratulatory message following Real Madrid’s defeat to Bayern Munich.

Speaking to TRT Sport, the Turkish international said, “After the match against Bayern Munich, he wrote to me saying he was very proud of me. I was absolutely delighted to receive that message. May God smooth his path. I truly believe he’s a great manager.”

The Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich proved to be a stern test for Güler. After Bayern’s 2–1 victory in the first leg, the return fixture at the Allianz Arena turned into a thrilling encounter, with Bayern edging out Real Madrid 4–3 on aggregate.

Güler, who previously played for Fenerbahçe, opened the scoring by catching Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer off guard early in the match. Less than 30 minutes later, he doubled Real Madrid’s lead with a superbly taken free-kick to make it 1–2.

The closing stages of the game were filled with drama. Eduardo Camavinga was controversially shown a red card, and Bayern advanced to the semi-finals thanks to late goals from Luis Diaz (88') and Michael Olise (90'+3). After the final whistle, Güler’s frustration boiled over as he got involved in a verbal exchange and minor scuffle with referee Slavko Vincic’s officiating team (46, Slovenia), leading to a second yellow card.

Reflecting on his time under Alonso, Güler said, “We really had a great relationship. I felt like he handed me the keys, and that’s exactly what I was looking for.”

Alonso’s tenure at the Santiago Bernabéu lasted only around six months before his dismissal in January, with reports suggesting some senior players were unhappy with his intense tactical sessions. However, Güler was clearly not one of them. “When he calls you into his office to explain tactics, it’s hard not to be convinced,” he explained. “He was the kind of coach who probably woke up every day thinking about how to make each player better and how to communicate with them.”

Güler was one of Real Madrid’s standout performers early in the season, commanding the midfield with confidence. During the Club World Cup last summer, Alonso had remarked, “Arda needs to stay close to the ball. The more touches he gets, the better he and the team play.” Güler echoed that sentiment, saying, “Before my first start, he told me in the morning, ‘I want you to have the ball more often than anyone to your right.’ When you hear that, you’re sold.”

Güler has also voiced his backing for Alonso’s managerial career at Chelsea. Following Alonso’s departure, former Spain full-back Álvaro Arbeloa (43) briefly took charge of Real Madrid but couldn’t prevent the club from going a second consecutive season without a trophy. Arbeloa has now stepped aside, and all indications point to José Mourinho (63, Benfica) preparing for a return to manage Güler and the rest of the team.

Meanwhile, Alonso has taken over at Chelsea FC in the Premier League, and Güler remains optimistic about his success: “I hope everything goes well for him. Of course, we’ll keep in touch.”

Arda Güler’s performance statistics for Real Madrid in the 2025/26 season remain under close observation as he continues to develop into one of the club’s most promising midfielders.