🔗 Share this article Alonso Walking a Precarious Path at the Bernabéu Despite Dressing Room Endorsement. No offensive player in the club's record books had experienced scoreless for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but finally he was freed and he had a declaration to send, acted out for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had not scored in almost a year and was commencing only his fifth game this campaign, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the opening goal against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and sprinted towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the boss in the spotlight for whom this could represent an profound relief. “This is a difficult period for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Performances are not going our way and I wanted to demonstrate the public that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been surrendered, a setback taking its place. City had come back, taking 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso noted. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” condition, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had responded. On this occasion, they could not pull off a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played 11 minutes all season, struck the bar in the dying moments. A Delayed Judgment “It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo said. The question was whether it would be sufficient for Alonso to hold onto his job. “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. “We demonstrated that we’re with the manager: we have performed creditably, provided 100%,” Courtois added. And so the final decision was postponed, sentencing delayed, with games against Alavés and Sevilla imminent. A More Credible Form of Defeat Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, perpetuating their uninspiring streak to a mere pair of successes in eight, but this was a little different. This was a European powerhouse, not a domestic opponent. Simplified, they had shown fight, the simplest and most harsh charge not levelled at them in this instance. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a penalty, nearly securing something at the final whistle. There were “numerous of very good things” about this performance, the manager argued, and there could be “no blame” of his players, tonight. The Stadium's Muted Response That was not always the full story. There were spells in the second half, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was also pockets of appreciation. But mostly, there was a muted procession to the exits. “That’s normal, we understand it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso remarked: “There's nothing that doesn't occur before. And there were instances when they cheered too.” Squad Backing Stands Strong “I feel the confidence of the players,” Alonso declared. And if he backed them, they stood by him too, at least for the public. There has been a unification, conversations: the coach had listened to them, perhaps more than they had accommodated him, reaching a point not exactly in the compromise. The longevity of a remedy that is continues to be an open question. One seemingly minor moment in the after-game press conference appeared telling. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to do things his way, Alonso had let that idea to linger, responding: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we understand each other well and he understands what he is talking about.” A Foundation of Reaction Most importantly though, he could be pleased that there was a spirit, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they publicly backed him. Part of it may have been theatrical, done out of professionalism or self-interest, but in this context, it was important. The intensity with which they played had been as well – even if there is a risk of the most fundamental of requirements somehow being elevated as a type of success. In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had insisted the coach had a plan, that their shortcomings were not his doing. “I think my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to alter the mindset. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have observed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, asked if they were behind the coach, also responded in numbers: “100%.” “We’re still attempting to solve it in the locker room,” he continued. “We understand that the [outside] chatter will not be productive so it is about trying to resolve it in there.” “Personally, I feel the coach has been excellent. I myself have a excellent rapport with him,” Bellingham concluded. “After the sequence of games where we were held a few, we had some honest conversations internally.” “All things passes in the end,” Alonso concluded, perhaps referring as much about adversity as his own predicament.
No offensive player in the club's record books had experienced scoreless for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but finally he was freed and he had a declaration to send, acted out for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had not scored in almost a year and was commencing only his fifth game this campaign, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the opening goal against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and sprinted towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the boss in the spotlight for whom this could represent an profound relief. “This is a difficult period for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Performances are not going our way and I wanted to demonstrate the public that we are as one with the coach.” By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been surrendered, a setback taking its place. City had come back, taking 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso noted. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” condition, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had responded. On this occasion, they could not pull off a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played 11 minutes all season, struck the bar in the dying moments. A Delayed Judgment “It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo said. The question was whether it would be sufficient for Alonso to hold onto his job. “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. “We demonstrated that we’re with the manager: we have performed creditably, provided 100%,” Courtois added. And so the final decision was postponed, sentencing delayed, with games against Alavés and Sevilla imminent. A More Credible Form of Defeat Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, perpetuating their uninspiring streak to a mere pair of successes in eight, but this was a little different. This was a European powerhouse, not a domestic opponent. Simplified, they had shown fight, the simplest and most harsh charge not levelled at them in this instance. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a penalty, nearly securing something at the final whistle. There were “numerous of very good things” about this performance, the manager argued, and there could be “no blame” of his players, tonight. The Stadium's Muted Response That was not always the full story. There were spells in the second half, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was also pockets of appreciation. But mostly, there was a muted procession to the exits. “That’s normal, we understand it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso remarked: “There's nothing that doesn't occur before. And there were instances when they cheered too.” Squad Backing Stands Strong “I feel the confidence of the players,” Alonso declared. And if he backed them, they stood by him too, at least for the public. There has been a unification, conversations: the coach had listened to them, perhaps more than they had accommodated him, reaching a point not exactly in the compromise. The longevity of a remedy that is continues to be an open question. One seemingly minor moment in the after-game press conference appeared telling. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to do things his way, Alonso had let that idea to linger, responding: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we understand each other well and he understands what he is talking about.” A Foundation of Reaction Most importantly though, he could be pleased that there was a spirit, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they publicly backed him. Part of it may have been theatrical, done out of professionalism or self-interest, but in this context, it was important. The intensity with which they played had been as well – even if there is a risk of the most fundamental of requirements somehow being elevated as a type of success. In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had insisted the coach had a plan, that their shortcomings were not his doing. “I think my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to alter the mindset. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have observed a difference.” Jude Bellingham, asked if they were behind the coach, also responded in numbers: “100%.” “We’re still attempting to solve it in the locker room,” he continued. “We understand that the [outside] chatter will not be productive so it is about trying to resolve it in there.” “Personally, I feel the coach has been excellent. I myself have a excellent rapport with him,” Bellingham concluded. “After the sequence of games where we were held a few, we had some honest conversations internally.” “All things passes in the end,” Alonso concluded, perhaps referring as much about adversity as his own predicament.