Xabi Alonso Walking a Thin Tightrope at Real Madrid Despite Squad Endorsement.

No attacker in the club's history had endured without a goal for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but at last he was released and he had a statement to send, performed for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had not scored in an extended drought and was beginning only his fifth appearance this season, beat shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the advantage against the English champions. Then he turned and charged towards the bench to greet Xabi Alonso, the coach on the edge for whom this could represent an more significant relief.

“It’s a tough moment for him, similar to how it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Performances are not going our way and I sought to show the public that we are together with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been surrendered, another loss following. City had reversed the score, going 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso noted. That can transpire when you’re in a “fragile” condition, he added, but at least Madrid had reacted. Ultimately, they could not complete a comeback. Endrick, introduced off the bench having played 11 minutes all season, rattled the crossbar in the closing stages.

A Suspended Verdict

“It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo said. The dilemma was whether it would be sufficient for Alonso to hold onto his role. “That wasn't our perception [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois insisted, but that was how it had been framed publicly, and how it was understood behind closed doors. “We demonstrated that we’re with the manager: we have given a good account, offered 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so the axe was postponed, sentencing pending, with fixtures against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon.

A Different Form of Setback

Madrid had been overcome at home for the second match in four days, continuing their uninspiring streak to two wins in eight, but this felt a more respectable. This was a European powerhouse, not a La Liga opponent. Stripped down, they had actually run, the most obvious and most damning accusation not levelled at them this time. With multiple players out injured, they had lost only to a scrambled finish and a spot-kick, almost securing something at the end. There were “numerous of very good things” about this display, the boss stated, and there could be “no reproach” of his players, on this occasion.

The Stadium's Muted Reception

That was not completely the complete picture. There were periods in the latter period, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had continued, although there was likewise sporadic clapping. But mostly, there was a quiet flow to the exits. “We understand that, we accept it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso added: “It’s nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were instances when they cheered too.”

Player Backing Stands Firm

“I have the backing of the players,” Alonso affirmed. And if he stood by them, they backed him too, at least for the cameras. There has been a rapprochement, talks: the coach had considered them, perhaps more than they had accommodated him, meeting common ground not quite in the compromise.

The longevity of a remedy that is is still an matter of debate. One seemingly minor exchange in the post-match press conference felt notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to follow his own path, Alonso had permitted that implication to linger, replying: “I share a good relationship with Pep, we know each other well and he knows what he is implying.”

A Foundation of Resistance

Above all though, he could be content that there was a spirit, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they stood up for him. Some of this may have been for show, done out of professionalism or self-preservation, but in this climate, it was significant. The commitment with which they played had been equally so – even if there is a temptation of the most basic of requirements somehow being elevated as a type of success.

In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had argued the coach had a plan, that their shortcomings were not his fault. “In my view my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said after full-time. “The sole solution is [for] the players to change the approach. The attitude is the crucial element and today we have seen a change.”

Jude Bellingham, asked if they were with the coach, also replied quantitatively: “100%.”

“We are continuing attempting to work it out in the locker room,” he elaborated. “We know that the [outside] noise will not be productive so it is about trying to sort it out in there.”

“I think the coach has been excellent. I personally have a excellent rapport with him,” Bellingham added. “Following the spell of games where we drew a few, we had some honest conversations behind the scenes.”

“All things ends in the end,” Alonso concluded, perhaps speaking as much about poor form as everything.