🔗 Share this article Xabi Alonso Treading a Fine Path at Madrid Despite Squad Endorsement. No forward in Real Madrid’s annals had gone scoreless for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but finally he was unleashed and he had a statement to deliver, performed for the cameras. The Brazilian, who had failed to score in an extended drought and was starting only his fifth match this term, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the opening goal against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and ran towards the sideline to greet Xabi Alonso, the coach in the spotlight for whom this could prove an more significant release. “It’s a tough time for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo said. “Performances are not going our way and I sought to demonstrate everyone that we are together with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo addressed the media, the lead had been taken from them, a defeat following. City had come back, going 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso remarked. That can occur when you’re in a “delicate” situation, he added, but at least Madrid had fought back. Ultimately, they could not engineer a recovery. Endrick, on as a substitute having played a handful of minutes all season, struck the woodwork in the final seconds. A Reserved Sentence “It wasn’t enough,” Rodrygo admitted. The question 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],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated, but that was how it had been portrayed in the media, and how it was felt privately. “Our performance proved that we’re supporting the coach: we have given a good account, given 100%,” Courtois affirmed. And so judgment was withheld, sentencing delayed, with games against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon. A Distinct Kind of Setback Madrid had been overcome 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 more respectable. This was Manchester City, rather than a La Liga opponent. Streamlined, they had shown fight, the simplest and most harsh criticism not directed at them in this instance. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a converted penalty, nearly salvaging something at the final whistle. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the boss stated, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, tonight. The Bernabéu's Ambivalent Response That was not always the complete picture. There were periods in the closing 45 minutes, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At full time, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was in addition some applause. But for the most part, there was a quiet stream to the doors. “It's to be expected, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “This is nothing that hasn’t happened before. And there were instances when they applauded too.” Dressing Room Support Stands Strong “I feel the support of the players,” Alonso declared. And if he stood by them, they supported him too, at least towards the public. There has been a rapprochement, talks: the coach had listened to them, maybe more than they had accommodated him, reaching somewhere not precisely in the center. The longevity of a solution that is remains an matter of debate. One small moment in the post-match press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to stick to his principles, Alonso had allowed that notion to remain unanswered, responding: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he understands what he is talking about.” A Basis of Resistance Most importantly though, he could be content that there was a spirit, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they stood up for him. This support may have been theatrical, done out of obligation or self-interest, but in this context, it was meaningful. The commitment with which they played had been as well – even if there is a temptation of the most elementary of expectations somehow being elevated as a type of positive. In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a vision, that their shortcomings were not his fault. “In my view my teammate Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said after full-time. “The sole solution is [for] the players to change the approach. The attitude is the key thing and today we have observed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were with the coach, also replied in numbers: “100%.” “We’re still attempting to figure it out in the locker room,” he elaborated. “We understand that the [outside] noise will not be productive so it is about trying to fix it in there.” “I think the coach has been superb. I personally have a excellent connection with him,” Bellingham added. “After the spell of games where we were held a few, we had some really great conversations among ourselves.” “All things ends in the end,” Alonso concluded, possibly referring as much about a difficult spell as anything else.
No forward in Real Madrid’s annals had gone scoreless for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but finally he was unleashed and he had a statement to deliver, performed for the cameras. The Brazilian, who had failed to score in an extended drought and was starting only his fifth match this term, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the opening goal against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and ran towards the sideline to greet Xabi Alonso, the coach in the spotlight for whom this could prove an more significant release. “It’s a tough time for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo said. “Performances are not going our way and I sought to demonstrate everyone that we are together with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo addressed the media, the lead had been taken from them, a defeat following. City had come back, going 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso remarked. That can occur when you’re in a “delicate” situation, he added, but at least Madrid had fought back. Ultimately, they could not engineer a recovery. Endrick, on as a substitute having played a handful of minutes all season, struck the woodwork in the final seconds. A Reserved Sentence “It wasn’t enough,” Rodrygo admitted. The question 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],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated, but that was how it had been portrayed in the media, and how it was felt privately. “Our performance proved that we’re supporting the coach: we have given a good account, given 100%,” Courtois affirmed. And so judgment was withheld, sentencing delayed, with games against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon. A Distinct Kind of Setback Madrid had been overcome 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 more respectable. This was Manchester City, rather than a La Liga opponent. Streamlined, they had shown fight, the simplest and most harsh criticism not directed at them in this instance. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a converted penalty, nearly salvaging something at the final whistle. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the boss stated, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, tonight. The Bernabéu's Ambivalent Response That was not always the complete picture. There were periods in the closing 45 minutes, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At full time, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was in addition some applause. But for the most part, there was a quiet stream to the doors. “It's to be expected, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “This is nothing that hasn’t happened before. And there were instances when they applauded too.” Dressing Room Support Stands Strong “I feel the support of the players,” Alonso declared. And if he stood by them, they supported him too, at least towards the public. There has been a rapprochement, talks: the coach had listened to them, maybe more than they had accommodated him, reaching somewhere not precisely in the center. The longevity of a solution that is remains an matter of debate. One small moment in the post-match press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to stick to his principles, Alonso had allowed that notion to remain unanswered, responding: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we know each other well and he understands what he is talking about.” A Basis of Resistance Most importantly though, he could be content that there was a spirit, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they stood up for him. This support may have been theatrical, done out of obligation or self-interest, but in this context, it was meaningful. The commitment with which they played had been as well – even if there is a temptation of the most elementary of expectations somehow being elevated as a type of positive. In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a vision, that their shortcomings were not his fault. “In my view my teammate Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said after full-time. “The sole solution is [for] the players to change the approach. The attitude is the key thing and today we have observed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were with the coach, also replied in numbers: “100%.” “We’re still attempting to figure it out in the locker room,” he elaborated. “We understand that the [outside] noise will not be productive so it is about trying to fix it in there.” “I think the coach has been superb. I personally have a excellent connection with him,” Bellingham added. “After the spell of games where we were held a few, we had some really great conversations among ourselves.” “All things ends in the end,” Alonso concluded, possibly referring as much about a difficult spell as anything else.