Real have three more games in 2025, two in La Liga and one in the Copa del Rey, and the question of all questions in Madrid is whether the coach will change after this weekend and whether Xabi Alonso will leave.
The young expert was under attack even before the defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday, now he is under even greater pressure - on Sunday the "Blancos" visit Alaves (21 pm) and are looking for a triumph that would at least announce a way out of the crisis.
If he doesn't win three points, Alonso will probably be gone by Monday - such information comes from well-informed Madrid media, as well as Catalan and European...
Alonso since the summer - and he took over Real before the start of the World Cup in the USA - has not brought the energy that was needed after Carlo Ancelotti's departure, and what is especially problematic at such a big club is that he does not seem to have any influence on the team.
Although, journalists close to the club point out that Alonso currently still has the support of the most influential players in the locker room such as Kylian Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois and Jude Bellingham, nothing is easy without results.
And the results are desperate, because the "royal club" has only won twice in the last eight games - in Piraeus in the Champions League and away to Athletic Bilbao. Too few, even if the editions are better, and objectively - Real is not playing well.
What's the problem? Maybe he was "spotted" by former Real ace Karim Benzema, who believes the players are a bigger problem than the coach.
"What Real Madrid lacks is the connection between Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Bellingham and Rodrygo," Benzema said.
And last season, at one point it became clear that Ancelotti didn't have control either, because the egos of individuals are obviously enormous.
- Each of them has to know what they have to do on the pitch. Bellingham has to understand that he is not a striker but a midfielder, Mbappe is an attacker, not an attacking midfielder. Just like Vinicius is a left winger and nothing more. We are talking about players who are among the top 10 in the world, and now you have them in the same team. It is not easy, each of them has their own personality and character. And they all want to be the best - Benzema points out.
And where is Alonso's influence in all of this, is there any at all?
- The coach can't do anything. That's up to the player. If your teammate is better than you, you have to accept that, and I don't think that's the case at Real Madrid. All the great players bring something, but the goal scorer is the one who gets a little more attention than the others - said the Saudi Al Ittihad striker.
If Alonso is replaced, three names have been mentioned for days as the new coach. The best chances are given to Zinedine Zidane, the legend who only worked in Madrid in his coaching career and who brought three European championship titles to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Jurgen Klopp and Alvaro Arbeloa, who leads Real Madrid's B team, are also reportedly options...
The weekend is crucial, a win in his Basque Country would probably "buy" Alonso a little more time, a draw or defeat would certainly sign his resignation.
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