Ultimatum
Three days. That's the amount of time Xabi Alonso 's project at Real Madrid gained after the defeat to Man City in the Champions League .
Real Madrid's leadership has met and finalized the plan. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – the days when "Los Blancos" will play against Alavés in Mendizorroza (3:00 AM on December 15th).
This will be Alonso's "final match, " as he has been under intense scrutiny from the club's leadership since last Sunday morning's meeting, immediately following the 0-2 defeat to Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu .
The 1-2 scoreline against Man City is not seen as a death sentence, according to internal sources. The team has regained some of its attitude and intensity, missing very clear chances late in the game that could have earned them a point .
Against Man City, Real Madrid displayed a superior performance compared to their match against Celta. The opponent also played a significant role.
If there were a defeat that would be a "dismissal" for the manager against Man City, it would have to be a game where the players lacked desire or the score was too heavy. But that didn't happen, so the coaching staff can temporarily continue their work .
The results and the overall sentiment within the team aren't too tragic, and there are even some promising prospects, but recent performances still put Alonso in an extremely risky position.
A slip-up at Mendizorroza, coupled with a Barcelona victory, would leave Real Madrid seven points behind in the La Liga title race. That gap would almost certainly end Alonso's project – winning only two of their last eight matches.
"Time will tell whether this is a turning point or not," Alonso analyzed, with his usual calm demeanor and optimistic tone .
"The season is long, you may see things one way, but things can change quickly. What looks one way today could be different in the near future. "
The Basque coach praised his players, emphasizing their "spirit of self-criticism" to balance questions about his future , and asserted that he needed time for the project to get on track.
“We know things can change and anything is possible. Because anything will happen, I'm sure of that. We have to look ahead.”
Player's reaction
The most noteworthy events, however, took place in the Bernabeu corridors after the match. Several details could shape the atmosphere for the next few days.
The players, who had previously complained privately among themselves about Alonso's coaching methods and management style, suddenly stood up to defend him – right after they were booed by the Bernabeu crowd during the Man City match .
Bellingham, Rodrygo, Asensio, and Courtois all unanimously stated: "We support Xabi 100% . " Previously, public expressions of support from players for Alonso were very rare.
Kylian Mbappe in Athens and Tchouam e ni before the match against Man City are rare exceptions, as they were two of Alonso's biggest allies at Valdebebas.
Following a meeting held early Sunday morning, chaired by Florentino Perez and CEO Jose Angel Sanchez , the club concluded that the problem lay not only with the manager but also with the players' attitudes.
The club's management understands that they have protected some players, such as Vinicius in the conflict with Xabi Alonso after El Clásico. But with the current crisis in form, the club's leadership has introduced new rules.
The long-standing rifts must stop, whether Xabi remains in power or not. “Either you take a step forward, or you will be the next to face criticism . ”
The dressing room understood this in the second half of the Man City game, when for the first time this season, the Bernabeu crowd booed the team. The most affected were Vinicius and Bellingham – who had been icons of the stadium for the past two seasons.
Their missed opportunities to equalize angered Madridistra . Ironically, both sides spoke out before and after the match .
Vinicius said before the match that " playing Man City could change everything" ; and Bellingham repeatedly stated, "I have a great relationship with Xabi . " He added, "The manager is doing a great job. Nobody is complaining . "
The message from the club seems to have permeated the already unstable dressing room. This is also how Real Madrid is preparing for the possibility of changing coaches at any time : Arbeloa, Solari, and especially Zidane are mentioned most often.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/real-madrid-ra-toi-hau-thu-3-ngay-phan-quyet-xabi-alonso-2471834.html
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