Real Madrid's Unlikely Fight Falls Short Again Under Coach Xabi Alonso
The writing was on the wall for Xabi Alonso, but it wasn't until the final whistle that the full extent of his team's struggles became clear. The Spanish coach watched in disappointment as Manchester City secured a 2-1 victory, leaving his own future at Real Madrid hanging precariously in the balance.
Alonso had been handed one last chance to prove himself after two dismal results in four days, but it ultimately proved too little, too late. His team, missing several key players including Éder Militão and Ferland Mendy, showed flashes of life against City's more established ranks, but ultimately couldn't mount a sustained challenge.
Despite the positives, Alonso was left to ponder what could have been when he was sent off the touchline without bothering to look back. The final score will not be enough to save him from the axe, or so it seems.
The question on everyone's lips is how much longer can Xabi Alonso cling to his job? His team fought hard, but the end result was always in doubt after a disastrous opening 25 minutes that left them trailing 1-0. A penalty awarded to City's Erling Haaland seemed to be the turning point, although a late double save from Thibaut Courtois denied the visitors their third goal.
For all the positives, Alonso couldn't mask the team's structural issues and poor decision-making in key moments. When players like Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva were giving away possession in one-on-one situations, it was only a matter of time before City broke through.
It seemed that Xabi Alonso had taken to heart Pep Guardiola's advice to "piss with your own penis" – to do things his way, without compromise. Vinicius Júnior and Rodrygo started in the attacking midfield roles, while Dani Ceballos played a surprise role in midfield as an actual playmaker.
However, it wasn't enough to rescue Alonso from his troubles. When the score was levelled at 2-1 after Endrick's shot hit the bar late on, hope still clung to Madrid. But ultimately, the team couldn't find that elusive third goal, and Xabi Alonso knew that he had finally reached a dead end.
In a rare moment of levity during the press conference, Rodrygo expressed solidarity with his coach, saying "I wanted to show to people that we are together with the coach." Perhaps this is the last stand for Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid – but it's too early to say for certain.
The writing was on the wall for Xabi Alonso, but it wasn't until the final whistle that the full extent of his team's struggles became clear. The Spanish coach watched in disappointment as Manchester City secured a 2-1 victory, leaving his own future at Real Madrid hanging precariously in the balance.
Alonso had been handed one last chance to prove himself after two dismal results in four days, but it ultimately proved too little, too late. His team, missing several key players including Éder Militão and Ferland Mendy, showed flashes of life against City's more established ranks, but ultimately couldn't mount a sustained challenge.
Despite the positives, Alonso was left to ponder what could have been when he was sent off the touchline without bothering to look back. The final score will not be enough to save him from the axe, or so it seems.
The question on everyone's lips is how much longer can Xabi Alonso cling to his job? His team fought hard, but the end result was always in doubt after a disastrous opening 25 minutes that left them trailing 1-0. A penalty awarded to City's Erling Haaland seemed to be the turning point, although a late double save from Thibaut Courtois denied the visitors their third goal.
For all the positives, Alonso couldn't mask the team's structural issues and poor decision-making in key moments. When players like Rúben Dias and Bernardo Silva were giving away possession in one-on-one situations, it was only a matter of time before City broke through.
It seemed that Xabi Alonso had taken to heart Pep Guardiola's advice to "piss with your own penis" – to do things his way, without compromise. Vinicius Júnior and Rodrygo started in the attacking midfield roles, while Dani Ceballos played a surprise role in midfield as an actual playmaker.
However, it wasn't enough to rescue Alonso from his troubles. When the score was levelled at 2-1 after Endrick's shot hit the bar late on, hope still clung to Madrid. But ultimately, the team couldn't find that elusive third goal, and Xabi Alonso knew that he had finally reached a dead end.
In a rare moment of levity during the press conference, Rodrygo expressed solidarity with his coach, saying "I wanted to show to people that we are together with the coach." Perhaps this is the last stand for Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid – but it's too early to say for certain.
so what's up with real madrid under alonso? seems like he's stuck between a rock and a hard place 
his team played okay, i guess, but that one goal from city really told 
alonso gotta make some changes or else it'll be a long time before they win anything again 
vinicius and rodrygo were doing alright, but then again, so were the others 
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. XABI ALONSO IS A GOOD COACH, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE HE JUST DOESNT KNOW WHEN TO SAY WHEN, YOU KNOW? 
THAT FINAL WHISTLE WAS THE NAIL IN HIS COACHING CAFÉ 
... BUT SERIOUSLY, HOW MUCH LONGER CAN THEY CLING ON TO HIM? 
now it's true that City outcoached 'em in the end, but I think Real Madrid have the talent to bounce back if they get some key players back from injury. Alonso's still got a lot to offer & i think he should be given another chance to prove himself...
but idk if 2 dismal results in 4 days is enough to save him from getting fired 
it seems like the team's structural issues and poor decision-making were too much for him to handle 
what do u think he shouldve done differently tho? maybe he should've tried a different lineup or strategy 
- City outcoached & outplayed him 
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna get ejected from the game, at least have the decency to look away and pretend like you care about what's going on anymore 
. It just seemed like he was playing a bunch of people out of position and then wondering why they weren't working together 
. The team needed some fresh blood, not more of the same old stuff that's been failing them for months 
. Can we please get someone in to shake things up around here? 
Alonso's time at Real Madrid might be running out 
...I mean, I get why he was given a chance to prove himself after those two losses, but 2-1 vs City isn't exactly a walk in the park 
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...or maybe this is just the beginning of the end 
is he really done though? i mean, the team did fight hard but those structural issues are still there... maybe he just needs some time to figure it out or something idk
real madrid needs some drastic changes, this team is not being managed properly 
️ also what's up with alonso playing danic cepallos in midfield, it was like he had no clue what he was doing 
. I feel bad for the guy, been there and done that. Real Madrid's squad just lacks depth 
. They got caught out by City's pace and precision 
. Vinicius and Rodrygo did try their best but they're not getting any younger 
. The team needs a complete overhaul if Alonso is gonna survive another season 
i think madrid needs a new coach tho its time 4 a change 
. The team looks lost without some key players, and Alonso can't cover for that. It's time to re-evaluate his tactics and maybe bring in someone with a fresh perspective 
. He had one last chance to prove himself, but now I think the writing is actually on the wall 
️.
. At times, you have to take a few wrong turns to find your way 
. But what's important is that the team didn't give up 
. They've shown glimpses of life, and with some tweaks, they could be back on track