Xabi Alonso’s situation is not just about one match

Every Real Madrid match feels like a final, given the pressure imposed by the badge and the club’s history every time the team takes the field. That is why not everyone is capable of wearing that shirt or managing the side. It is simply a fact of life and a matter of sporting demands. For this reason, Los Blancos find themselves at a difficult moment, with Xabi Alonso at the helm.

There is talk of an ultimatum, of risking everything in every match, but the situation goes beyond what the team can do in Vitoria, Talavera, or at the Bernabéu against Sevilla to close out 2025. It is a question of feelings, of seeing and confirming a radical change. That is hard to achieve, but if there is any sport where such transformations exist, it is football.

At Real Madrid, every match is an exam. Continuous assessment, like at school, but here simply scraping a pass is not enough. That grade might once have spared us the stress and the awkward conversation with our parents, who in this case are the fans. Those same fans showed their displeasure on Wednesday with what they saw against City and in previous matches, and they gave the clear impression that judgement had already been passed.

Now both sides must rebuild lost confidence, something that currently seems difficult and goes beyond a single result. That trust also applies to the message delivered in press conferences and on the pitch. So far, there have been no real signs of recovery, aside from the players’ public show of support for Xabi after the match against City.

That, precisely, is the worrying part, or at least that is how it is seen at Valdebebas. Even by giving everything, they have been unable to turn the situation around. It is obvious. Time is running out, and as we keep saying, this is not just about winning or losing one match, but about analysis and drawing conclusions.