Xabi Alonso needs a win to save his job
Xabi Alonso must overcome Manchester City tomorrow if he is to save his job, which has come under serious scrutiny due to Real Madrid’s recent dip in form. The Basque manager’s job currently hangs by a thread after a poor run of results, having won only one of the last five games. Los Blancos’ recent defeat to Celta Vigo left them four points behind league leaders Barcelona. Real Madrid officials are said to be considering moving on from Alonso should he fail to beat City. So, after such a promising start, what has gone wrong for Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, and was taking on Real Madrid this early in his career a mistake? Let’s uncover all the factors that have led to Alonso’s job being at risk.
The Basque manager’s job hangs by a thread after losing the dressing room
Real Madrid’s recent slump is said to be due to the coach losing confidence from his players. This comes a month and a half after there was a reported rift between him and Vinicius following the player’s outburst when he was substituted during El Clasico. There have been several other players who have reportedly felt frustrated with Alonso’s management due to his tactical approach, leading to a falling out with the manager. It is difficult to win back the dressing room once faith is lost from the players, leading many to think that a sacking is imminent. With several key players, most especially defensive players, out from injury, this makes Alonso’s task of beating City tomorrow all the more difficult. Huijsen, Militao, Carvajal, Trent, Camavinga, and now probably Mbappe look set to be on the sidelines for Los Blancos, worsening Madrid’s injury crisis.
Alonso’s lack of tactical certainty indicates he may not be the right man at the dugout
Certain club officials feel that Alonso has significantly underperformed when Madrid faced the big sides. Following their heavy defeats to Atletico and PSG, as well as the defeat at Anfield, there does not seem to be much belief that Alonso is the right man for the job. Many football experts feel that Alonso’s uncertainty displayed through many of his tactical decisions, led to many errors that cost Madrid in crucial matches. These errors included starting Garcia out of position against PSG, making him less effective in the match; then followed by starting Bellingham against Atletico, fresh off his return from injury; and finally starting Camavinga on the right flank, who offered little to no depth against Liverpool. Tomorrow, the Basque manager will have one last chance to prove that he is still the right man for the job; otherwise, anything other than a win could end with him being sacked.
