🔗 Share this article Xabi Alonso Walking a Precarious Path at the Bernabéu Despite Squad Backing. No attacker in Real Madrid’s record books had gone without a goal for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but finally he was released and he had a message to send, performed for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had failed to score in nine months and was commencing only his fifth match this campaign, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he turned and sprinted towards the bench to hug Xabi Alonso, the manager on the edge for whom this could represent an profound release. “It’s a tough period for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Results aren't working out and I sought to prove people that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo spoke, the lead had been surrendered, a setback following. City had come back, taking 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso noted. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” condition, he continued, but at least Madrid had responded. On this occasion, they could not complete a recovery. Endrick, introduced off the bench having played very little all season, struck the crossbar in the closing stages. A Delayed Sentence “The effort fell short,” Rodrygo admitted. The dilemma was whether it would be enough for Alonso to keep his position. “We didn't view it as [this was a trial of the coach],” veteran keeper Thibaut Courtois stated, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was felt privately. “Our performance proved that we’re behind the coach: we have given a good account, given 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so judgment was withheld, any action pending, with games against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon. A Different Kind of Loss Madrid had been defeated at home for the second time in four days, perpetuating their poor form to a mere pair of successes in eight, but this seemed a somewhat distinct. This was a European powerhouse, not a lesser opponent. Simplified, they had competed with intensity, the easiest and most critical charge not directed at them on this night. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a opportunistic strike and a converted penalty, coming close to earning something at the death. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the head coach said, and there could be “no reproach” of his players, on this occasion. The Stadium's Ambivalent Reaction That was not always the full story. There were periods in the latter period, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At full time, some of supporters had repeated that, although there was in addition some applause. But mostly, there was a quiet flow to the exits. “That’s normal, we understand it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso stated: “This is nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were moments when they clapped too.” Player Backing Stands Strong “I sense the confidence of the players,” Alonso said. And if he stood by them, they stood by him too, at least in front of the cameras. There has been a coming together, conversations: the coach had considered them, arguably more than they had embraced him, finding a point not quite in the center. The longevity of a solution that is remains an matter of debate. One little incident in the after-game press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s counsel to do things his way, Alonso had let that notion to linger, replying: “I share a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he understands what he is saying.” A Foundation of Reaction Crucially though, he could be content that there was a resistance, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they stood up for him. This support may have been performative, done out of professionalism or self-interest, but in this climate, it was important. The effort with which they played had been too – even if there is a temptation of the most elementary of requirements somehow being promoted as a form of success. In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a plan, that their shortcomings were not his responsibility. “In my view my colleague Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said after full-time. “The key is [for] the players to change the approach. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a change.” Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were supporting the coach, also answered quantitatively: “100%.” “We persist in attempting to work it out in the locker room,” he said. “It's clear that the [outside] chatter will not be beneficial so it is about trying to resolve it in there.” “In my opinion the gaffer has been superb. I individually have a great rapport with him,” Bellingham concluded. “Following the run of games where we drew a few, we had some honest conversations behind the scenes.” “Everything concludes in the end,” Alonso concluded, possibly talking as much about a difficult spell as anything else.
No attacker in Real Madrid’s record books had gone without a goal for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but finally he was released and he had a message to send, performed for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had failed to score in nine months and was commencing only his fifth match this campaign, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he turned and sprinted towards the bench to hug Xabi Alonso, the manager on the edge for whom this could represent an profound release. “It’s a tough period for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Results aren't working out and I sought to prove people that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo spoke, the lead had been surrendered, a setback following. City had come back, taking 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso noted. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” condition, he continued, but at least Madrid had responded. On this occasion, they could not complete a recovery. Endrick, introduced off the bench having played very little all season, struck the crossbar in the closing stages. A Delayed Sentence “The effort fell short,” Rodrygo admitted. The dilemma was whether it would be enough for Alonso to keep his position. “We didn't view it as [this was a trial of the coach],” veteran keeper Thibaut Courtois stated, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was felt privately. “Our performance proved that we’re behind the coach: we have given a good account, given 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so judgment was withheld, any action pending, with games against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon. A Different Kind of Loss Madrid had been defeated at home for the second time in four days, perpetuating their poor form to a mere pair of successes in eight, but this seemed a somewhat distinct. This was a European powerhouse, not a lesser opponent. Simplified, they had competed with intensity, the easiest and most critical charge not directed at them on this night. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a opportunistic strike and a converted penalty, coming close to earning something at the death. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the head coach said, and there could be “no reproach” of his players, on this occasion. The Stadium's Ambivalent Reaction That was not always the full story. There were periods in the latter period, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At full time, some of supporters had repeated that, although there was in addition some applause. But mostly, there was a quiet flow to the exits. “That’s normal, we understand it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso stated: “This is nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were moments when they clapped too.” Player Backing Stands Strong “I sense the confidence of the players,” Alonso said. And if he stood by them, they stood by him too, at least in front of the cameras. There has been a coming together, conversations: the coach had considered them, arguably more than they had embraced him, finding a point not quite in the center. The longevity of a solution that is remains an matter of debate. One little incident in the after-game press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s counsel to do things his way, Alonso had let that notion to linger, replying: “I share a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he understands what he is saying.” A Foundation of Reaction Crucially though, he could be content that there was a resistance, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they stood up for him. This support may have been performative, done out of professionalism or self-interest, but in this climate, it was important. The effort with which they played had been too – even if there is a temptation of the most elementary of requirements somehow being promoted as a form of success. In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a plan, that their shortcomings were not his responsibility. “In my view my colleague Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said after full-time. “The key is [for] the players to change the approach. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a change.” Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were supporting the coach, also answered quantitatively: “100%.” “We persist in attempting to work it out in the locker room,” he said. “It's clear that the [outside] chatter will not be beneficial so it is about trying to resolve it in there.” “In my opinion the gaffer has been superb. I individually have a great rapport with him,” Bellingham concluded. “Following the run of games where we drew a few, we had some honest conversations behind the scenes.” “Everything concludes in the end,” Alonso concluded, possibly talking as much about a difficult spell as anything else.