🔗 Share this article Xabi Alonso Navigating a Fine Line at the Bernabéu Despite Dressing Room Backing. No attacker in Real Madrid’s history had experienced without a goal for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but eventually he was freed and he had a declaration to broadcast, acted out for the cameras. The Brazilian, who had not scored in an extended drought and was starting only his fifth match this term, beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Manchester City. Then he wheeled and charged towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the coach under pressure for whom this could signal an even greater release. “This is a challenging period for him, similar to how it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Performances are not going our way and I sought to demonstrate everyone that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been taken from them, a setback taking its place. City had come back, taking 2-1 ahead with “very little”, Alonso remarked. That can transpire when you’re in a “delicate” state, he added, but at least Madrid had reacted. Ultimately, they could not complete a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played 11 minutes all season, struck the crossbar in the closing stages. A Reserved Judgment “It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo conceded. The issue was whether it would be enough for Alonso to retain his position. “That wasn't our perception [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois insisted, but that was how it had been portrayed in the media, and how it was perceived internally. “Our performance proved that we’re supporting the coach: we have performed creditably, given 100%,” Courtois added. And so judgment was postponed, any action pending, with matches against Alavés and Sevilla looming. A Different Type of Defeat Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, continuing their recent run to just two victories in eight, but this felt a little different. This was Manchester City, as opposed to a lesser opponent. Stripped down, they had shown fight, the most obvious and most damning charge not levelled at them on this night. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a spot-kick, almost earning something at the end. There were “numerous of very good things” about this display, the boss stated, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, not this time. The Bernabéu's Muted Response That was not completely the case. There were periods in the second half, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had jeered. At the final whistle, some of supporters had repeated that, although there was in addition pockets of appreciation. But primarily, there was a subdued stream to the subway. “We understand that, we understand it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “It’s nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were instances when they cheered too.” Squad Unity Remains Strong “I sense the confidence of the players,” Alonso affirmed. And if he backed them, they supported him too, at least towards the cameras. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had considered them, arguably more than they had accommodated him, finding a point not quite in the compromise. The longevity of a remedy that is continues to be an matter of debate. One seemingly minor exchange in the post-match press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to do things his way, Alonso had allowed that idea to hang there, answering: “I share a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he is aware of what he is implying.” A Starting Point of Reaction Crucially though, he could be content that there was a spirit, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not let Alonso fall during the game and after it they stood up for him. Some of this may have been for show, done out of obligation or mutual survival, but in this context, it was meaningful. The commitment with which they played had been as well – even if there is a risk of the most elementary of expectations somehow being promoted as a kind of achievement. The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had argued the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his doing. “I believe my teammate Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The sole solution is [for] the players to change the attitude. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were supporting the coach, also responded quantitatively: “100%.” “We persist in trying to figure it out in the changing room,” he continued. “We know that the [outside] chatter will not be beneficial so it is about striving to fix it in there.” “In my opinion the gaffer has been excellent. I personally have a excellent connection with him,” Bellingham concluded. “After the sequence of games where we tied a few, we had some very productive conversations internally.” “Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso mused, possibly speaking as much about poor form as his own predicament.
No attacker in Real Madrid’s history had experienced without a goal for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but eventually he was freed and he had a declaration to broadcast, acted out for the cameras. The Brazilian, who had not scored in an extended drought and was starting only his fifth match this term, beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Manchester City. Then he wheeled and charged towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the coach under pressure for whom this could signal an even greater release. “This is a challenging period for him, similar to how it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Performances are not going our way and I sought to demonstrate everyone that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been taken from them, a setback taking its place. City had come back, taking 2-1 ahead with “very little”, Alonso remarked. That can transpire when you’re in a “delicate” state, he added, but at least Madrid had reacted. Ultimately, they could not complete a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played 11 minutes all season, struck the crossbar in the closing stages. A Reserved Judgment “It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo conceded. The issue was whether it would be enough for Alonso to retain his position. “That wasn't our perception [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois insisted, but that was how it had been portrayed in the media, and how it was perceived internally. “Our performance proved that we’re supporting the coach: we have performed creditably, given 100%,” Courtois added. And so judgment was postponed, any action pending, with matches against Alavés and Sevilla looming. A Different Type of Defeat Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, continuing their recent run to just two victories in eight, but this felt a little different. This was Manchester City, as opposed to a lesser opponent. Stripped down, they had shown fight, the most obvious and most damning charge not levelled at them on this night. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a spot-kick, almost earning something at the end. There were “numerous of very good things” about this display, the boss stated, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, not this time. The Bernabéu's Muted Response That was not completely the case. There were periods in the second half, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had jeered. At the final whistle, some of supporters had repeated that, although there was in addition pockets of appreciation. But primarily, there was a subdued stream to the subway. “We understand that, we understand it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “It’s nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were instances when they cheered too.” Squad Unity Remains Strong “I sense the confidence of the players,” Alonso affirmed. And if he backed them, they supported him too, at least towards the cameras. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had considered them, arguably more than they had accommodated him, finding a point not quite in the compromise. The longevity of a remedy that is continues to be an matter of debate. One seemingly minor exchange in the post-match press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to do things his way, Alonso had allowed that idea to hang there, answering: “I share a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he is aware of what he is implying.” A Starting Point of Reaction Crucially though, he could be content that there was a spirit, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not let Alonso fall during the game and after it they stood up for him. Some of this may have been for show, done out of obligation or mutual survival, but in this context, it was meaningful. The commitment with which they played had been as well – even if there is a risk of the most elementary of expectations somehow being promoted as a kind of achievement. The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had argued the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his doing. “I believe my teammate Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The sole solution is [for] the players to change the attitude. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were supporting the coach, also responded quantitatively: “100%.” “We persist in trying to figure it out in the changing room,” he continued. “We know that the [outside] chatter will not be beneficial so it is about striving to fix it in there.” “In my opinion the gaffer has been excellent. I personally have a excellent connection with him,” Bellingham concluded. “After the sequence of games where we tied a few, we had some very productive conversations internally.” “Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso mused, possibly speaking as much about poor form as his own predicament.