The Xabi Alonso chapter at Real Madrid could soon be closed. Due to ongoing disagreements, the Champions League clash against Manchester City is said to have been declared a final.
It is doubtful whether Real Madrid’s management got any sleep after the shocking 0-2 defeat against Celta Vigo, which ended with the team down to nine men. It probably didn’t make much difference that Sunday evening turned out to be even longer for President Florentino Perez and Co.
A few hours after the end of the game, the management of the Spanish record champions felt compelled to hold a crisis meeting, which was not hidden from the media, including Marca, which reported on it unanimously. The situation at the Royal Club is serious.
Only two wins in seven games
At the beginning of November, shortly after their victory in El Clásico, Real were still five points clear at the top of the table, but a month later, last season’s runners-up are four points behind FC Barcelona. They have won only two of their last seven competitive games, which is in line with their performances.
The persistent rumors that coach Xabi Alonso’s relationship with several players, especially Vinicius Junior, is not good are confirmed almost week after week by lackluster and unfocused performances.
The strong performance in the 3-0 away win in Bilbao last Wednesday was encouraging, but, like the good performance in the Clasico, it proved to be an exception. For several weeks now, the majority of the Royal’s regulars have lacked the intensity that Xabi Alonso demands for his game plan – but there has been little sign of this for some time. In the completely uninspired home game against Celta, even Kylian Mbappé, who is actually in good form, could no longer hide this.
What is leaking out of the club to the media close to it is worrying. Marca also reports that Real’s Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday has already been declared the final for Xabi Alonso. Madrid’s position in the Champions League table is not yet fatal, nor is it in La Liga, but the footballing development of recent weeks is.
The players will make a statement with their performance against ManCity
It remains unclear who is (primarily) to blame for the poor atmosphere. Strict rules and intense defensive work were something that the players who had been with the club for a long time were only partially accustomed to under Xabi Alonso’s predecessor, Carlo Ancelotti. Some of them do not seem ready for a more radical change. In such cases, however, the coach is often the weakest link.
Based on their performance against ManCity, keen observers will probably be able to tell quite easily whether Vinicius Junior and Co. are still playing “for” Xabi Alonso or rather “against” him. If Real’s top match goes as badly as Sunday’s game against Celta, they will most likely succeed in the latter.
