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Real Madrid may have fallen to Manchester City in midweek, but the performance — built on urgency, intensity and sheer graft — was enough to buy Xabi Alonso a little more time.
Yet the sense that the Basque manager is fighting for his job with every match remains, and Sunday’s trip to Alaves could prove decisive.
Spanish media had widely reported that Alonso would be dismissed if Madrid lost to City in the Champions League. Despite a 2-1 defeat at a tense and restless Santiago Bernabéu, he remains in place, with club officials hoping the display marks a shift in form for a team that has managed only two wins in its last eight matches across all competitions.
Madrid enter the weekend four points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona—a gap that may stretch to seven if the champions beat Osasuna on Saturday. Even so, the squad have rallied around their coach.
Goalscorer Rodrygo ran straight to Alonso to embrace him on Wednesday, while defender Raul Asencio praised the team’s improved attitude, insisting there were signs of change.
Given Madrid’s sharper showing against City and the absence of a clear alternative, club president Florentino Pérez has held off from making a decisive move.
But with pressure mounting and the margin for error shrinking, the next setback could still prove fatal unless the City’s performance truly marks a turning point.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has also backed Alonso and believes results will restore calm. “All of us here support the coach with all our hearts, and by winning on Sunday, we will change this dynamic,” he said.
Madrid’s challenge at Mendizorroza will be complicated by suspensions and injuries. Alvaro Carreras and Fran García are banned following their dismissals in last weekend’s damaging 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eder Militão and several others remain sidelined.
The biggest concern is Kylian Mbappé, whose knee discomfort kept him on the bench against City. Alonso said playing him would have been a “risk,” and his availability on Sunday is still uncertain.
There was at least one bright spot for Madrid: Rodrygo ended a barren run of 32 matches without a goal, delivering a sharp finish and a revived performance that Alonso described as an important step for the Brazilian.
On the opposite wing, however, Vinícius Júnior has struggled to find his best form. His furious reaction to being substituted in October’s Clásico became a flashpoint, fuelling speculation of a rift between the squad and their manager.
Although tensions appear to be easing — helped by the players’ public support — whether Madrid’s stars can reproduce the work rate and unity shown in Europe will be tested on a cold Sunday night in Vitoria. For Alonso, it could be the match that stabilises his tenure — or the one that ends it.
