🔗 Share this article Alonso Walking a Thin Line at Madrid Despite Squad Backing. No attacker in Los Blancos' annals had experienced without a goal for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but at last he was freed and he had a message to send, executed for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had not scored in almost a year and was beginning only his fifth match this season, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he wheeled and ran towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the coach under pressure for whom this could represent an more significant relief. “This is a challenging moment for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Results aren’t coming off and I aimed to show everyone that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo addressed the media, the advantage had been taken from them, a setback taking its place. City had reversed the score, going 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso observed. That can happen when you’re in a “delicate” situation, he added, but at least Madrid had fought back. This time, they could not engineer a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played very little all season, rattled the bar in the closing stages. A Delayed Verdict “It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo conceded. The issue was whether it would be enough for Alonso to retain his position. “We didn’t feel that [this was a trial of the coach],” veteran keeper Thibaut Courtois remarked, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was perceived internally. “We demonstrated that we’re behind the manager: we have performed creditably, provided 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so the final decision was withheld, any action delayed, with matches against Alavés and Sevilla looming. A Different Type of Defeat Madrid had been defeated at home for the second occasion in four days, perpetuating their uninspiring streak to just two victories in eight, but this was a more respectable. This was a European powerhouse, not a lesser opponent. Stripped down, they had shown fight, the simplest and most damning charge not aimed at them on this night. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a opportunistic strike and a spot-kick, nearly earning something at the final whistle. There were “a lot of very good things” about this performance, the boss stated, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, on this occasion. The Stadium's Ambivalent Reaction That was not entirely the case. There were periods in the second half, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was also some applause. But for the most part, there was a muted stream to the exits. “We understand that, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo commented. Alonso remarked: “This is nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were instances when they cheered too.” Squad Unity Stands Strong “I feel the backing of the players,” Alonso said. And if he supported them, they supported him too, at least in front of the public. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had listened to them, maybe more than they had accommodated him, reaching somewhere not quite in the middle. How lasting a solution that is is still an matter of debate. One little incident in the after-game press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to stick to his principles, Alonso had permitted that idea to remain unanswered, responding: “I share a good connection with Pep, we understand each other well and he is aware of what he is saying.” A Foundation of Reaction Above all though, he could be pleased that there was a fight, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they defended him. This support may have been performative, done out of professionalism or mutual survival, but in this tense environment, it was important. The effort with which they played had been equally so – even if there is a temptation of the most elementary of standards somehow being elevated as a type of positive. The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his doing. “I think my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The sole solution is [for] the players to improve the mindset. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, questioned if they were with the coach, also answered in numbers: “100%.” “We persist in attempting to figure it out in the locker room,” he said. “We know that the [outside] chatter will not be beneficial so it is about striving to resolve it in there.” “In my opinion the manager has been great. I personally have a excellent rapport with him,” Bellingham stated. “Following the run of games where we drew a few, we had some very productive conversations among ourselves.” “Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso mused, possibly speaking as much about a difficult spell as his own predicament.
No attacker in Los Blancos' annals had experienced without a goal for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but at last he was freed and he had a message to send, executed for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had not scored in almost a year and was beginning only his fifth match this season, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he wheeled and ran towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the coach under pressure for whom this could represent an more significant relief. “This is a challenging moment for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Results aren’t coming off and I aimed to show everyone that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo addressed the media, the advantage had been taken from them, a setback taking its place. City had reversed the score, going 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso observed. That can happen when you’re in a “delicate” situation, he added, but at least Madrid had fought back. This time, they could not engineer a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played very little all season, rattled the bar in the closing stages. A Delayed Verdict “It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo conceded. The issue was whether it would be enough for Alonso to retain his position. “We didn’t feel that [this was a trial of the coach],” veteran keeper Thibaut Courtois remarked, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was perceived internally. “We demonstrated that we’re behind the manager: we have performed creditably, provided 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so the final decision was withheld, any action delayed, with matches against Alavés and Sevilla looming. A Different Type of Defeat Madrid had been defeated at home for the second occasion in four days, perpetuating their uninspiring streak to just two victories in eight, but this was a more respectable. This was a European powerhouse, not a lesser opponent. Stripped down, they had shown fight, the simplest and most damning charge not aimed at them on this night. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a opportunistic strike and a spot-kick, nearly earning something at the final whistle. There were “a lot of very good things” about this performance, the boss stated, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, on this occasion. The Stadium's Ambivalent Reaction That was not entirely the case. There were periods in the second half, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was also some applause. But for the most part, there was a muted stream to the exits. “We understand that, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo commented. Alonso remarked: “This is nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were instances when they cheered too.” Squad Unity Stands Strong “I feel the backing of the players,” Alonso said. And if he supported them, they supported him too, at least in front of the public. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had listened to them, maybe more than they had accommodated him, reaching somewhere not quite in the middle. How lasting a solution that is is still an matter of debate. One little incident in the after-game press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to stick to his principles, Alonso had permitted that idea to remain unanswered, responding: “I share a good connection with Pep, we understand each other well and he is aware of what he is saying.” A Foundation of Reaction Above all though, he could be pleased that there was a fight, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they defended him. This support may have been performative, done out of professionalism or mutual survival, but in this tense environment, it was important. The effort with which they played had been equally so – even if there is a temptation of the most elementary of standards somehow being elevated as a type of positive. The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his doing. “I think my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The sole solution is [for] the players to improve the mindset. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, questioned if they were with the coach, also answered in numbers: “100%.” “We persist in attempting to figure it out in the locker room,” he said. “We know that the [outside] chatter will not be beneficial so it is about striving to resolve it in there.” “In my opinion the manager has been great. I personally have a excellent rapport with him,” Bellingham stated. “Following the run of games where we drew a few, we had some very productive conversations among ourselves.” “Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso mused, possibly speaking as much about a difficult spell as his own predicament.