Unrest at Real
“Red alert” for Xabi Alonso in Madrid
12/11/2025 – 1:26 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
After Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso lost his supposed final, he is now facing consequences. The mood is tense.
The 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League has put Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso under considerable pressure. Although his players have his back, there is already speculation about possible successors; the newspaper “Marca” speaks of the “red alert”. The fans loudly express their displeasure.
The whistles of the disappointed supporters echoed through the stadium after the game and made clear the dissatisfaction with the current situation. Alonso, who only took over as coach around six months ago, is now faced with the challenge of meeting Real’s high expectations. “It’s about the team, about the players and how I can help them. It’s not about me.” Alonso said at the press conference after the game when asked about his personal situation after only two wins from the last eight games: “I’m worried about our next game.”
England international Jude Bellingham, who also had disagreements with Alonso during the season, showed understanding for the fans’ reactions. “People pay a lot of money to see us play and we play for the best club in the world,” he said, stressing that the team can never be satisfied with a good performance in defeat. Despite the criticism, Bellingham publicly supported his coach and praised the “very good relationship” between coach and players.
Goalscorer Rodrygo also demonstrated his support for Alonso by cheering with him after his goal. “I wanted to show people that we stand behind our coach,” he explained. But the media reports about possible successors such as Zinédine Zidane, Raúl and Jürgen Klopp make the situation appear precarious.
Alonso himself remains optimistic and assures: “We will come back.” However, the upcoming games, especially the away game at Deportivo Alavés, could be crucial for his future at Los Blancos.