Xabi Alonso has not enjoyed a dream start since his arrival at Real Madrid. Despite a promising beginning, the team has suffered a clear drop in performance, accumulating a series of inconsistent results. Far from serving as a turning point, Los Blancos were defeated by Manchester City, further deepening the team’s crisis. In response, legend Thierry Henry pointed to a clear factor that may be affecting the Spanish coach within the squad.
“I find it always ludicrous that a manager can be in trouble after being six months in a job… I don’t think they should question the coach. If you have a coach in position, you try to see what he can do… He’s coaching too much, for some people, and not managing enough… I feel sorry for Alonso because you can see what he did with Leverkusen when he was able to coach a team who was going to listen to what he was going to do,” Thierry Henry said, via CBS Golazo.
Henry’s words resonated with fans, who largely agree with his assessment. Rather than lacking the ability to transform the team, Xabi Alonso seems to have faced challenges in managing the squad’s egos, with several players remaining in the starting lineup despite their low performance levels. For that reason, his role is seen as that of a manager rather than a coach capable of making shifts to prioritize performance, making his tenure different from his Leverkusen days.
Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler may serve as an ideal example as both have each managed to shine at Real Madrid, though not together in the same starting lineup. Despite this, Xabi Alonso opts to keep both players as key pieces, which complicates the team’s ability to control matches consistently. Nevertheless, the Spanish coach seems to have put the team back on track, recovering players’ support.
Xabi Alonso, Head Coach of Real Madrid, consoles Vinicius Junior.
Xabi Alonso have recovered Real Madrid’s players support
Upon arriving at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso decided to impose a re-established order and new rules in the locker room, something that, according to The Athletic, did not sit well with some stars. Even though the roster seemed divided, the coach has transformed his approach, regaining the support of several stars who now appear convinced by the team’s game plan and give reason to Thierry Henry in his perspective.
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In his latest CBS Golazo appearance, Thierry Henry explained that a coach at Real Madrid needs to understand that it is 90% players and 10% coach, and thus must allow the players to manage the car. Although his words sparked some controversy, the Spanish media claim that Xabi Alonso has managed to improve relations with the dressing room by engaging in dialogue and changing his approach. This shift has led to the players showing much more commitment.
Following the latest defeat against Manchester City, several Real Madrid stars as Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham, or Rodrygo Goes, expressed their full commitment to Xabi’s tenure, making it clear that they are the ones who need to improve. Having a roster weakened by injuries, they struggled to shine, but they are expected to return to their best form once the team is back to full strength.
