The early days of Xabi Alonso‘s tenure at Real Madrid have been a rollercoaster ride. The Basque manager began his reign by leading the team to the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals, setting a promising tone. Following that, Los Blancos enjoyed a remarkable seven-match winning streak, only to suffer a shocking 5-2 defeat against Atlético Madrid. They quickly recovered with six consecutive victories, including a notable 2-1 triumph over defending LaLiga champions Barcelona. However, the momentum faltered again with a 1-0 loss to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League. Most recently, Real Madrid was held to a frustrating goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano, marking the first time in seven months that they have gone two matches without a win—a stark contrast to their previous form.
This latest result is particularly disheartening given that it came against a Rayo side that had extra rest and was riding high after winning three of their last four matches. Despite Rayo’s errors, which should have given Real Madrid an early advantage, the team failed to capitalize on several opportunities. Kylian Mbappé delivered a promising cross to Vinícius Júnior in the 22nd minute, but his shot was parried away by goalkeeper Augusto Batalla. Moments later, Brahim Díaz provided another chance for Raúl Asencio, whose header went wide. Interestingly, Rayo managed to create as much danger as Real Madrid, registering more significant chances (two) and boasting a higher expected goals (xG) tally of 1.2 compared to Real’s 0.98.
Tactical Missteps and Substitutions
Alonso’s tactical decisions are increasingly coming under scrutiny. His choice to start Díaz on the right flank instead of Rodrygo raised eyebrows, as did placing Arda Güler in an unfamiliar double pivot alongside Eduardo Camavinga. While he rectified one of his initial mistakes by substituting Éder Militão for Dean Huijsen at halftime, he waited another 25 minutes before making his next change—bringing on Dani Ceballos for Díaz. It wasn’t until eight minutes later that Rodrygo replaced Camavinga, followed by the introduction of Trent Alexander-Arnold as a natural right-back.
Nevertheless, these adjustments came too late to salvage the match, leaving many fans questioning whether Alonso is truly equipped to manage one of football’s most prestigious clubs. As ESPN Brazil’s Leonardo Bertozzi noted, “Real Madrid is always a challenge to manage because it’s not just about the results; you have to win and play well while managing a locker room full of superstar egos.” The Basque manager now faces the daunting task of balancing his more demanding style with the expectations of players used to Carlo Ancelotti’s more relaxed approach.
Challenges Ahead for Alonso
The contrast between Alonso’s previous experience at Bayer Leverkusen—where he worked with young talents—and managing established superstars at Real Madrid is stark. The current squad comprises players who have already achieved significant success and command substantial salaries. Currently sitting seventh in their UEFA Champions League group with nine points from four matches—three points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich—Real Madrid remains atop LaLiga, three points clear of Barcelona.
This mixed bag of results paints a picture far from catastrophic for Alonso but also indicates that his honeymoon period is far from seamless. Aside from their recent Clásico victory, Los Blancos have endured more disheartening defeats against elite teams than uplifting victories. Florentino Pérez has built a reputation as one of football’s finest executives through his adept manager selections—from Ancelotti to Zidane—but Alonso must prove he can meet those high standards.
As Real Madrid prepares for its upcoming fixtures against Elche on November 23 and subsequent matches against Olympiacos and Girona, questions linger about whether Alonso can adapt quickly enough to lead this team effectively. With expectations soaring high and scrutiny intensifying, can he turn around this challenging start?
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