Xabi Alonso Treading a Precarious Line at Real Madrid Amidst Squad Support.

No forward in Real Madrid’s record books had endured scoreless for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but at last he was released and he had a message to deliver, executed for the world to see. The Brazilian, who had been goalless in nine months and was starting only his fifth appearance this campaign, beat shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the lead against Manchester City. Then he spun and ran towards the sideline to hug Xabi Alonso, the coach on the edge for whom this could represent an even greater liberation.

“It’s a challenging moment for him, just as it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Performances are not going our way and I sought to demonstrate the public that we are as one with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been lost, a defeat taking its place. City had reversed the score, taking 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso observed. That can happen when you’re in a “fragile” state, he continued, but at least Madrid had fought back. On this occasion, they could not pull off a comeback. Endrick, introduced off the bench having played 11 minutes all season, hit the crossbar in the closing stages.

A Reserved Judgment

“It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo said. The question was whether it would be adequate for Alonso to retain his position. “That wasn't our perception [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remarked, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was understood behind closed doors. “Our performance proved that we’re with the manager: we have given a good account, provided 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so judgment was postponed, any action delayed, with matches against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon.

A Distinct Kind of Loss

Madrid had been overcome at home for the second occasion in four days, perpetuating their poor form to just two victories in eight, but this felt a somewhat distinct. This was Manchester City, rather than a lesser opponent. Stripped down, they had competed with intensity, the easiest and most critical criticism not levelled at them in this instance. With a host of first-teamers out injured, they had lost only to a scrambled finish and a converted penalty, coming close to securing something at the final whistle. There were “a lot of very good things” about this display, the boss stated, and there could be “no reproach” of his players, tonight.

The Bernabéu's Mixed Reaction

That was not entirely the case. There were periods in the second half, as frustration grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At full time, a portion of supporters had repeated that, although there was in addition some applause. But mostly, there was a muted stream to the doors. “It's to be expected, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo commented. Alonso added: “There's nothing that hasn’t happened before. And there were instances when they applauded too.”

Squad Unity Stands Firm

“I sense the support of the players,” Alonso said. And if he backed them, they supported him too, at least for the public. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had accommodated them, maybe more than they had adapted to him, finding common ground not quite in the compromise.

Whether durable a remedy that is remains an unresolved issue. One small incident in the after-game press conference felt telling. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s counsel to follow his own path, Alonso had let that implication to remain unanswered, answering: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we understand each other well and he is aware of what he is implying.”

A Basis of Fight

Most importantly though, he could be pleased that there was a fight, a response. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they defended him. This support may have been performative, done out of obligation or self-interest, but in this tense environment, it was important. The intensity with which they played had been equally so – even if there is a temptation of the most fundamental of expectations somehow being promoted as a type of positive.

Earlier, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a plan, that their failings were not his doing. “In my view my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to alter the attitude. The attitude is the key thing and today we have seen a shift.”

Jude Bellingham, asked if they were supporting the coach, also responded with a figure: “100%.”

“We persist in striving to work it out in the dressing room,” he continued. “We understand that the [outside] speculation will not be beneficial so it is about attempting to fix it in there.”

“In my opinion the gaffer has been great. I personally have a great connection with him,” Bellingham added. “After the run of games where we tied a few, we had some honest conversations behind the scenes.”

“All things passes in the end,” Alonso mused, perhaps referring as much about adversity as everything.