Manchester City came from behind to win against the Bernabéu on Wednesday night, putting pressure on struggling Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, but one of his players has given his thoughts on the scrutiny of his position.
Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham insists Xabi Alonso is not in the dressing room and believes it is up to the players to turn their season around. Alonso has been attracting attention at the Bernabéu following his poor performance.
Alonso could be considering being sacked if he loses to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, according to reports in Spain. And that’s exactly what happened as Josep Guardiola’s side staged a stunning comeback.
Rodrygo gave Real the lead, but goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland turned the game on its head. Asked about the pressure on his coach, Bellingham was adamant that his team continues to support him.
He said: “100%. The coach has been great. I personally have a great relationship with him and I know a lot of the players do too.”
“After all the draws, we had a great internal discussion and felt like we were going to put that behind us except for the last few games. No one is dropping tools, no one is complaining or moaning. We’re going to take it on the chin and keep fighting.”
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He added: “Regardless of what’s going on outside, we’re trying to figure things out in the dressing room. We know that doesn’t help. One is the way we play the game. At certain points where we have to struggle, we always feel like we’re conceding goals, which puts us behind and forces us to play where we don’t want to.”
“But we have what we need in the locker room to turn things around. Maybe we need a little bit of luck, or maybe we need to have some internal discussions. I believe that this season is not over just because we are not feeling well.”
Bellingham was not the only Madrid star to voice his opinion about the club’s struggling manager. Goalscorer Rodrigo also chimed in, insisting that much of the speculation surrounding Alonso’s position was exactly right. “We support Xavi. A lot of what is being said is a lie,” he said after Wednesday’s defeat.
Rodrygo made a public gesture of support for his manager by heading to the bench to celebrate with Alonso during the match. Of the celebration, he added: “A hug with Xavi? These are difficult times for the players and for everyone. We wanted to show that we support the manager.”
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Alonso, a former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder, had just been appointed to the club in the summer after a hugely successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen.
He signed a three-year contract with the Bernabéu. He also expressed his views on the pressure on his shoulders, saying that it was not his responsibility to make any decisions regarding his position.
In the post-match press conference he said: “My future? It’s not up to me. I’m focused on the next match.”
Alonso will no doubt be hoping Real get back to winning ways at the weekend. They will play away to Alaves, narrowing the gap to their rival Barcelona in the lead to just one point.
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