Real Madrid keep Xabi Alonso after losing to Man City, decision made at Alaves.

Real Madrid have decided to continue placing their faith in Xabi Alonso after their defeat to Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 group stage. According to Sky Sport journalist Patrick Berger, the club's management will allow the 44-year-old coach to lead the team in the upcoming match against Alaves – a game seen as a turning point for his future at the Bernabeu.

From a promising start to a slump in form.

Following Carlo Ancelotti's departure at the end of last season, Real Madrid chose Xabi Alonso to kick off their plan to rejuvenate the coaching staff. President Florentino Perez believes Alonso is well-suited to building a modern Real Madrid team that is fast-paced, uses high-pressure pressing, and transitions quickly.

In the early rounds of the 2025/26 season, Real Madrid were truly a machine: Kylian Mbappe's brilliance helped them win convincingly in La Liga, even creating a lead of over 8 points over Barcelona. Alonso's high-pressure style of play maximized Mbappe's speed, creating a relentless tempo that opponents found difficult to counter.

But the turning point came when Mbappe was no longer in his best physical condition. The French star showed signs of slowing down, having to play when not at his peak. From here, Real Madrid clearly declined: they only won 2 of their last 8 matches in all competitions. The attack lacked sharpness, the midfield showed gaps, and the defense made individual errors – key links in the pressing system all deteriorated simultaneously.

Dressing pressure and Perez's choices

European media outlets have been speculating about a group of players no longer fully supporting Alonso's philosophy. The defeat against Manchester City in the Champions League group stage pushed the pressure to a breaking point, with some even suggesting that Real should make an immediate decision to avoid further decline.

However, according to Patrick Berger (Sky Sport), Real Madrid will keep Alonso. Perez wants to give the 44-year-old coach more time to turn things around. Instead of removing him from the plans, Alonso has been tasked with managing the match against Alaves – a test that could shape the remainder of the season.

The Alaves match – a test of both tactics and mentality.

Tactically, the big question is whether Real can maintain high-pressure pressing when Mbappe is not yet in optimal physical condition. If they continue with a high tempo, they must reinforce their midfield – where gaps have been exposed – and minimize individual errors in defense. Psychologically, this is the time for the team to demonstrate their reaction after a series of poor results: the ability to control the tempo, manage risk, and be effective in decisive moments.

The voice of the head coach

After the defeat against Man City, Alonso maintained a calm demeanor: “I feel the whole team still supports me. The whole team fought to the end, overcoming all the difficulties we faced, such as the losing streak and injuries. This bad run will end, it will pass. Everything in life passes.”

That message showed he believed he hadn't lost control of the dressing room – a crucial element for any coach at Real Madrid.

Key points to note

• Real Madrid are keeping Xabi Alonso, according to Sky Sport, and will have him in charge of the match against Alaves.
• At the start of the 2025/26 season, Real Madrid had a lead of more than 8 points over Barcelona in La Liga.
• Real Madrid's last eight matches across all competitions have only resulted in two wins, a decline in performance due to Mbappe's fitness issues.
• Rumors have emerged that a group of players no longer fully support Alonso's philosophy.

Selected data

With Perez opting for patience, the match against Alaves became a test of balance between the initial ideals of the Alonso project and the harsh reality of the fixture schedule. A victory might calm the storm, but another slip-up would make the Bernabeu seat hotter than ever.