The uncertain atmosphere surrounding Real Madrid has reached a new level of intensity as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham prepare for a Champions League night defined as much by tension as by soccer. What should have been a straightforward buildup to a heavyweight European clash has instead become a referendum on a manager under fire, with whispers around Valdebebas hinting at doubts, divisions, and decisive choices on Xabi Alonso’s future yet to be made.
What is unfolding in Madrid isn’t a short-term wobble—it’s a structural tremor. Weeks of poor performances, internal disagreements, and a fractured dressing room have created a climate that even seasoned Real Madrid managers would struggle to survive.
The weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo intensified scrutiny, exposing tactical uncertainty and, most worryingly, a drop in intensity on the pitch. Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni did not sugarcoat it afterward, admitting: “It’s not the coach’s fault, we lack intensity.” His words signaled more than frustration—they offered an uncomfortable truth about a group no longer moving in unison.
Inside the club, doubts about Xabi Alonso have grown. Meetings were held late into the night after the Celta loss, with Florentino Perez weighing the option of dismissing the coach immediately. For a president known for protecting his managers recently, that consideration alone is telling.
Reports emerging from the Spanish press have painted a picture of a squad divided: players unhappy with their roles, the medical department questioned for a surge in muscular injuries, and confusion over whether Alonso is too strict, too soft, or simply unable to adapt to Madrid’s star-heavy dressing room. One thing is certain: the pressure is unprecedented.
What’s Real Madrid’s reported internal verdict?
Unless Real Madrid suffers a disastrous streak before the Copa del Rey in January, Xabi Alonso will remain in command, according to club internal discussions. According to Diario AS, the club will not sack Alonso even if Madrid loses to Manchester City in this Champions League clash. The decision provides a temporary lifeline, but it is hardly a vote of full confidence. As the report puts it: “Unless Real Madrid goes on a very bad run between December and January, Alonso will not be sacked.”
Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid, consoles Vinicius Junior.
But that stability is fragile. The same report clarifies that if Madrid falls to City, “Alonso’s fate will be 90% sealed.” This echoes what happened to Carlo Ancelotti, whose future was effectively decided after the heavy loss to Arsenal in Europe. Thus, the club’s decision is less a shield and more a deadline—a final, narrowing corridor through which Alonso must navigate without stumbling.
