After a dream career start in Leverkusen, coach Xabi Alonso experienced the dark side of the football business. In Madrid he could fail early. Successors are even being traded. The Champions League game on Wednesday seems extremely important.
According to Spanish media, Real Madrid’s soccer coach Xabi Alonso’s job is already at stake in the top Champions League duel against Manchester City. After only two wins in the last seven encounters, the match on Wednesday (9 p.m. / DAZN) in the Bernabéu Stadium at home is a game of fate – or as the usually well-informed newspaper “Marca” headlined on page one: “A final for Xabi”.
All specialist media write in a similar tenor. “At the limit” could be read on page one of the rival newspaper “AS”, and “Sport” reported on an “ultimatum” from the club management to the 44-year-old coach.
Alonso denied further reports that he was unpopular with many of his most important protégés the day before the important game. He assured that he enjoys the support of the entire squad. “The team sticks together and is convinced that we can win tomorrow,” he said. And added: “If you are coach of Real, you have to be prepared to handle such situations with calm and responsibility.”
Nightly crisis meeting after the recent bankruptcy
The pressure is great: After the 0-2 defeat in front of the home crowd against Celta de Vigo, which caused the gap to league leaders and arch-rivals FC Barcelona under coach Hansi Flick to grow to four points, according to the media, there was said to have been a crisis meeting of the club’s management around President Florentino Pérez (79) on Monday night. The boss and construction magnate is said to have confronted Alonso after the final whistle with the words: “Something has to change here and the solutions have to come immediately.”
The rumor mill is already churning in Madrid. Former Real coaches Zinedine Zidane and José Mourinho are considered possible successors, as is Jürgen Klopp. It is said that former club professional Alvaro Arbeloa, who is currently coaching the second team, also has a chance.
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After the dream career start with Bayer Leverkusen (2022-2025), with which he won, among other things, the first German championship in the club’s history, Alonso moved to his former club Real in the summer. There were 13 wins in the first 14 games. It was the best start to the season the Spanish record champions have ever had.
jb/dpa
