Real Madrid's spirited performance at Manchester City has done little to alleviate the doubts surrounding coach Xabi Alonso's future at the club. The team's fightback against a two-goal deficit, sparked by Rodrygo's first goal in 33 games, ultimately fell short as they were denied a dramatic comeback.
Alonso watched his players with pride and passion, but it was clear that he is fighting for his own job as much as his team's. A gesture of solidarity last week to the coach who had been struggling at the helm, Alonso now finds himself in a precarious position. The club hierarchy had deemed him surplus to requirements after a dismal run, but this latest defeat has extended the reprieve and raised questions about whether he will be given another chance.
Despite the bleak outlook, there were moments of positivity from Madrid during the match. Vinícius Junior took his place at the forefront, while Dani Ceballos proved an inspired inclusion in midfield. The team's spirit was evident, as they fought hard to reduce the deficit and even denied City a third goal with Thibaut Courtois' outstanding double save.
However, Alonso's own advice to Pep Guardiola before their first meeting – "piss with your own penis" or, essentially, do things your way – has proved harder for him to implement than it was for his former rival. The Manchester City coach's words about building a team based on conviction rather than accommodation seemed to be lost in translation at the Bernabéu.
With several key players absent due to injury and suspension, Alonso was left to field an unusual lineup that broke from tradition. Still, there were glimpses of the old Madrid spirit, particularly when Rodrygo celebrated his goal with a heartfelt hug for his coach.
Ultimately, though, it was not enough. The final whistle was a harsh reminder that another improbable resurrection was denied to Madrid, and Alonso's fate hangs precariously in the balance. While the team will regroup and look forward to their next challenge, the question on everyone's mind is whether this underwhelming performance has been enough to rescue Xabi Alonso from the brink of dismissal.
Alonso watched his players with pride and passion, but it was clear that he is fighting for his own job as much as his team's. A gesture of solidarity last week to the coach who had been struggling at the helm, Alonso now finds himself in a precarious position. The club hierarchy had deemed him surplus to requirements after a dismal run, but this latest defeat has extended the reprieve and raised questions about whether he will be given another chance.
Despite the bleak outlook, there were moments of positivity from Madrid during the match. Vinícius Junior took his place at the forefront, while Dani Ceballos proved an inspired inclusion in midfield. The team's spirit was evident, as they fought hard to reduce the deficit and even denied City a third goal with Thibaut Courtois' outstanding double save.
However, Alonso's own advice to Pep Guardiola before their first meeting – "piss with your own penis" or, essentially, do things your way – has proved harder for him to implement than it was for his former rival. The Manchester City coach's words about building a team based on conviction rather than accommodation seemed to be lost in translation at the Bernabéu.
With several key players absent due to injury and suspension, Alonso was left to field an unusual lineup that broke from tradition. Still, there were glimpses of the old Madrid spirit, particularly when Rodrygo celebrated his goal with a heartfelt hug for his coach.
Ultimately, though, it was not enough. The final whistle was a harsh reminder that another improbable resurrection was denied to Madrid, and Alonso's fate hangs precariously in the balance. While the team will regroup and look forward to their next challenge, the question on everyone's mind is whether this underwhelming performance has been enough to rescue Xabi Alonso from the brink of dismissal.
. They put up a great fight against Manchester City but ultimately fell short. It's hard not to feel for coach Xabi Alonso, he seems to be fighting for his job just as much as the team. The fact that this latest defeat has extended his reprieve is a mixed bag – it means they've got more time to turn things around, but it also means there's still so much work to do.
. And I loved the moment when Rodrygo celebrated his goal with a big hug for Alonso – it showed there's still a lot of love for the coach from the team.
.
! You gotta give 'em credit for fightin' back from 2 goals down. And Rodrygo finally gets a goal after 33 games 
... that's somethin' to cheer about! Alonso might not be the most popular guy, but he's still got some good ideas up his sleeve 
... I mean, who needs a fancy new contract when you've got players like Vinícius and Dani Ceballos on your team? 
. They had that spark but couldn't quite ignite 
. Alonso's got my 
, I wanna see him succeed 
, but this defeat is a tough pill to swallow 
. The team's spirit was there 
, but the squad's missing some key players and it showed 
.
and trust his instincts 
. He can't change his style just 2 fit in w/ Pep Guardiola 
. Let's be real, Alonso's got a point 
- he shouldn't compromise on his vision for the team 
. I hope the club hierarchy gets their priorities straight 
and gives him another chance 
.
! But, in the end, it wasn't enough 
only time will tell 
. Xabi Alonso's tactics just weren't working, no matter how hard his players tried 
. I mean, who needs Rodrygo scoring after 33 games to turn the game around? 
. But in the end, it just wasn't enough 
️. Can Xabi Alonso turn this season around? 
.
. Can't just rely on old-school tactics; you gotta innovate and evolve like City does. It's time for Madrid to rethink their approach and find a new direction 
.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU CAN SEE WHY PEOPLE WERE LIKE "LET HIM STAY" WHEN THEY SAW HOW HARD HIS PLAYERS WERE FIGHTING FOR HIM OUT THERE!! 
RODRYGO'S GOAL WAS LIKE A SYMBOL OF THEIR SPIRIT AND THIBAUT COURTOIS' SAVES WERE SO EPIC!!! 
It's just that sometimes things don't go as planned... Alonso's trying his best, we should give him a chance to figure it out 
and we all know dani ceballos is a beast in midfield 
, if only they could've gotten that third goal lol. anyway, i'm totally with you, alonso needs to be given another chance 
. The club should at least give him some more time to prove himself 
.
the thing is Alonso has been trying to adapt his tactics & it's just not working so yeah i think it's time for a change