In an unexpected move, Spanish coach Xabi Alonso has put an end to the rumors surrounding his future at Real Madrid, confirming that President Florentino Pérez fully supports him.
The Spanish coach stressed that the time has come for the players to set things right within the team.
According to a report by the Spanish newspaper “AS,” Alonso revealed his conversation with Pérez, in a rare move from him, as he usually does not prefer to speak publicly about what is going on around him or the team.
These statements come to support the coach’s position and announce the official support he enjoys from the President of Real Madrid, after the doubts that were circulating about this support, so the matter is now clear and explicit.
The Real Madrid management felt that this was the right time to put an end to the rumors and clarify the picture for everyone, starting with the players themselves, that the team’s authority is now in the hands of Alonso, and that he is the coach responsible for leading the team completely.
The Spanish newspaper clarified that the Real Madrid management believed that the best way to clarify this matter to everyone, according to their assessment, was through the coach’s statement himself at the press conference.
It stated that Real Madrid players already know that the club, led by the president, supports the coach’s decisions, and now Alonso bears the responsibility of ending all that is said about the team, the players’ behavior, and how to deal with the matches.
The newspaper “AS” reported that the first official and public warning has already been directed to Real Madrid players.
The Spanish newspaper pointed out that the players now bear the responsibility of proving that things are returning to the right track and that the team is able to compete in a manner befitting the Real Madrid logo.
The newspaper concluded: “A year ago, Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti tried to turn the tables, but he failed in that, and now it is Xabi Alonso’s turn to lead the team towards discipline and the required results.”
Negative news
Real Madrid’s management move came after the British newspaper “The Athletic” published that Vinicius Junior told the President of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, late last month, that he was not considering renewing, due to his poor relationship with the coach.
After the famous Vinicius incident in the Clasico, during his exit protesting his substitution, the Brazilian star apologized to his teammates and Real Madrid fans for his behavior during the match, but he completely ignored his coach, Xabi Alonso.
Sources close to Vinicius stated that it was a “deliberate” move, and it caused great surprise within the club, including among members of the coaching staff, as Alonso was present when the Brazilian personally apologized to the group, at the Real Madrid training ground, before issuing a statement apologizing to the fans.
Vinicius showed an angry reaction after being substituted in the 72nd minute, as he left the field screaming: “I always, I will leave the team, it is better that I leave, I will leave.”
Urgent meeting
The newspaper pointed out that after this incident, Vinicius held a meeting with Pérez, and explained to him that he felt that extending his contract was not the best option for him, given his poor relationship with Alonso. There has been no change in this position since then.
Sources close to Vinicius have repeatedly confirmed his concerns about Alonso, and that he does not feel comfortable in his presence, unlike the former coach Carlo Ancelotti.
In contrast, Alonso spoke about his relationship with Vinicius Junior several times, in press conferences, and was keen to emphasize that there is no personal problem between them, and that rotation in the squad is very important for the team.
Real Madrid drew with its host Elche (2-2) yesterday, Sunday, as part of the 13th round of La Liga matches.
The Royal team’s goals were scored by Dean Huijsen and Jude Bellingham, in the 78th and 87th minutes, while Elche’s double was scored by Alex Febas and Álvaro Rodríguez, in the 53rd and 84th minutes.
This is the third consecutive stumble for the Merengue, in all competitions, after losing to Liverpool in the Champions League, and drawing with Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish League.
Defensive crisis
Real Madrid is going through a critical period at the defensive level, as the prevailing feeling, supported by numbers, indicates that the team led by Xabi Alonso has lost the solidity that characterized its strong start this season.
The draw against Elche with a score of (2-2) at the “Martínez Valero” stadium confirms a worrying trend that the team has declined, especially in pressing after losing the ball, which opponents skillfully exploit.
The last three matches – two draws and a defeat – clearly reflect this decline.
Although the number of goals conceded is not high in itself (approximately one goal in each match, with two goals from Elche and one goal from Mac Allister of Liverpool at Anfield, while they did not concede any goals against Rayo Vallecano), the problem is deeper than the results.
The team has become allowing a greater amount of dangerous opportunities, and their goal has become more vulnerable.
According to the Spanish newspaper “AS,” before this series of three matches, the average shots on Real Madrid’s goal was 9.7 shots per match.
But in the last three meetings, the number has risen to 15. At Anfield, Courtois prevented a heavy loss after saving most of the attempts, as Liverpool shot 17 times. Against Rayo Vallecano, the team allowed 13 shots, and in Elche another 15.
The picture gets worse when looking at the shots between the three posts. 6 out of 15 shots for Elche were on target, in addition to two attempts from Rayo and 9 from Liverpool.
The new average becomes 5.7 dangerous attempts in each match during this period, compared to only 3.2 in the previous 14 matches. The gap is clear enough to cause concern.
