Alonso Treading a Fine Tightrope at Real Madrid Amidst Dressing Room Backing.
No attacker in Real Madrid’s annals had gone scoreless for as long as Rodrygo, but at last he was freed and he had a statement to send, executed for the world to see. The Brazilian, who had been goalless in nine months and was commencing only his fifth appearance this campaign, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the advantage against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he wheeled and charged towards the sideline to hug Xabi Alonso, the coach on the edge for whom this could represent an profound liberation.
“It’s a tough time for him, similar to how it is for us,” Rodrygo said. “Things aren't working out and I sought to show everyone that we are as one with the coach.”
By the time Rodrygo spoke, the lead had been surrendered, a defeat taking its place. City had reversed the score, taking 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso observed. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” state, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had fought back. On this occasion, they could not engineer a turnaround. Endrick, introduced off the bench having played a handful of minutes all season, hit the crossbar in the dying moments.
A Reserved Verdict
“It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo said. The question was whether it would be sufficient for Alonso to keep his role. “We didn’t feel that [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remarked, but that was how it had been framed publicly, and how it was understood behind closed doors. “We have shown that we’re supporting the manager: we have performed creditably, given 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so the final decision was postponed, consequences suspended, with fixtures against Alavés and Sevilla looming.
A More Credible Form of Setback
Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, extending their poor form to a mere pair of successes in eight, but this was a little different. This was Manchester City, as opposed to a domestic opponent. Streamlined, they had shown fight, the simplest and most harsh charge not levelled at them in this instance. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a scrambled finish and a spot-kick, almost securing something at the death. There were “many of very good things” about this performance, the boss argued, and there could be “no blame” of his players, on this occasion.
The Stadium's Mixed Reaction
That was not completely the complete picture. There were moments in the second half, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At the conclusion, a section of supporters had done so again, although there was in addition some applause. But for the most part, there was a muted procession to the subway. “That’s normal, we understand it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso stated: “This is nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were moments when they cheered too.”
Player Unity Stands Evident
“I have the support of the players,” Alonso affirmed. And if he supported them, they supported him too, at least towards the cameras. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had accommodated them, perhaps more than they had accommodated him, reaching somewhere not exactly in the compromise.
Whether durable a fix that is continues to be an open question. One seemingly minor moment in the after-game press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to stick to his principles, Alonso had let that idea to linger, responding: “I share a good rapport with Pep, we understand each other well and he understands what he is saying.”
A Starting Point of Reaction
Crucially though, he could be satisfied that there was a fight, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they defended him. This support may have been for show, done out of obligation or self-preservation, but in this context, it was important. The commitment with which they played had been too – even if there is a risk of the most basic of requirements somehow being framed as a kind of success.
The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had insisted the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his fault. “I believe my colleague Aurélien nailed it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to improve the mindset. The attitude is the key thing and today we have seen a shift.”
Jude Bellingham, asked if they were with the coach, also answered in numbers: “100%.”
“We are continuing attempting to figure it out in the changing room,” he said. “We understand that the [outside] chatter will not be productive so it is about attempting to resolve it in there.”
“I think the coach has been superb. I personally have a excellent relationship with him,” Bellingham added. “After the spell of games where we were held a few, we had some honest conversations behind the scenes.”
“Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso concluded, possibly talking as much about a difficult spell as his own predicament.
