There are fears he is losing the dressing room, but the players insist they are united behind the manager
Real Madrid players are in full support of Xabi Alonso and are still playing for him, according to Jude Bellingham.
Defeat to Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday cranked up the pressure on the manager, following a similar home loss against Celta Vigo at the weekend. Madrid now have only two wins in eight games since the start of November.
“A number of things are not working,” said Bellingham. “We’re still trying to work out within the changing room, regardless of what goes on outside.
“One of the things that’s probably quite obvious is how we’re managing games. Certain points where we have to suffer, it feels like we always concede. It puts us on the back foot, makes us maybe play in a way we don’t want to.
“It’s something we need to discuss internally. I’ve got full faith that this season isn’t over just because we’ve been on a bad run of form. As players it kills us and we’re going to turn it around.”
One of the charges levelled against Alonso so far has been his ability to handle the various conflicting egos in the squad. Suggestions are that he is losing the dressing room.
Asked whether Madrid’s players were still backing the manager, Bellingham said: “One hundred percent, the manager’s been great. I’ve personally got a great relationship with him. A lot of the lads do as well.
“The last couple of games we’ve let ourselves down, but no-one’s downing tools, no-one’s complaining, moaning and thinking the season’s over. We’ll have to take a bit of the shit on the chin. We’ll have to keep fighting.”
Madrid led just before the half-hour, when Rodrygo bolted down the right and slid the ball just beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma. But City levelled seven minutes later through Nico O’Reilly, before Erling Haaland converted from the spot to complete a first-half comeback.
Madrid huffed and puffed in the second half but were unable to find the equaliser they badly needed to restore some confidence.
When he scored Madrid’s opener, Rodrygo went to hug Xabi Alonso. The player explained his action as a show of support for the manager.
“It’s a difficult time, for us and for him too,” said Rodrygo. “Things aren’t going well, and I wanted to show everyone that we’re united with our coach.
“I know a lot of things are always being said. They often try to create a lot of things, and I just wanted to say that we’re together and that we need this unity to keep going and achieve our goal.”
