Alonso Navigating a Fine Tightrope at Real Madrid Even With Dressing Room Endorsement.

No forward in Real Madrid’s history had endured without a goal for as long as Rodrygo, but finally he was freed and he had a statement to broadcast, executed for the cameras. The Brazilian, who had been goalless in almost a year and was beginning only his fifth appearance this campaign, beat shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the advantage against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and charged towards the sideline to embrace Xabi Alonso, the manager on the edge for whom this could signal an even greater liberation.

“It’s a challenging time for him, similar to how it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Results aren’t coming off and I aimed to show the public that we are together with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo addressed the media, the advantage had been taken from them, a defeat following. City had turned it around, going 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso remarked. That can happen when you’re in a “delicate” state, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had responded. Ultimately, they could not engineer a comeback. Endrick, introduced off the bench having played a handful of minutes all season, rattled the bar in the dying moments.

A Reserved Verdict

“It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo admitted. The dilemma was whether it would be adequate for Alonso to retain his position. “That wasn't our perception [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois stated, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was understood behind closed doors. “We have shown that we’re supporting the manager: we have performed creditably, provided 100%,” Courtois affirmed. And so judgment was withheld, any action pending, with games against Alavés and Sevilla imminent.

A Distinct Kind of Setback

Madrid had been defeated at home for the second occasion in four days, perpetuating their poor form to two wins in eight, but this was a more respectable. This was a European powerhouse, rather than a La Liga opponent. Stripped down, they had actually run, the easiest and most harsh criticism not directed at them on this night. With multiple players out injured, they had lost only to a opportunistic strike and a spot-kick, coming close to earning something at the final whistle. There were “a lot of very good things” about this display, the manager argued, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, tonight.

The Fans' Muted Response

That was not always the case. There were periods in the closing 45 minutes, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had voiced its disapproval. At the conclusion, a portion of supporters had done so again, although there was also some applause. But mostly, there was a subdued stream to the doors. “That’s normal, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso stated: “It’s nothing that doesn't occur before. And there were times when they applauded too.”

Squad Support Stands Firm

“I feel the backing of the players,” Alonso affirmed. And if he stood by them, they backed him too, at least in front of the cameras. There has been a rapprochement, talks: the coach had accommodated them, arguably more than they had embraced him, reaching common ground not exactly in the compromise.

The longevity of a remedy that is remains an matter of debate. One little moment in the after-game press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to do things his way, Alonso had permitted that idea to hang there, answering: “I have a good connection with Pep, we know each other well and he knows what he is implying.”

A Foundation of Resistance

Crucially though, he could be content that there was a fight, a response. Madrid’s players had not let Alonso fall during the game and after it they stood up for him. This support may have been theatrical, done out of professionalism or self-interest, but in this context, it was meaningful. The commitment with which they played had been equally so – even if there is a temptation of the most basic of standards somehow being elevated as a kind of success.

In the build-up, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a plan, that their shortcomings were not his fault. “I believe my teammate Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The sole solution is [for] the players to alter the approach. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have witnessed a difference.”

Jude Bellingham, questioned if they were behind the coach, also responded with a figure: “100%.”

“We are continuing striving to figure it out in the dressing room,” he elaborated. “We know that the [outside] noise will not be beneficial so it is about trying to fix it in there.”

“Personally, I feel the gaffer has been great. I myself have a strong relationship with him,” Bellingham concluded. “Following the run of games where we were held a few, we had some really great conversations behind the scenes.”

“Every situation ends in the end,” Alonso mused, maybe speaking as much about poor form as anything else.