Don’t Sack Xabi Alonso: Why Real Madrid Must Stay Calm After Manchester City Champions League Defeat

Xabi Alonso & Real Madrid under pressure after Man City Champions League loss

It feels almost strange to be writing this, but here we are: Real Madrid, the club that built its empire on European nights, is reportedly considering the possibility of sacking Xabi Alonso—just months into his reign—if his team loses to Manchester City in the Champions League. It sounds dramatic, even by Madrid standards, which have always had a taste for the theatrical. Suddenly, a mid-autumn dip has turned into an existential crisis at the Bernabéu.

Madrid have fallen four points behind Barcelona in La Liga, despite winning the first Clásico of the season. One bad run, a few worrying headlines, and the rumour mill is now spinning uncontrollably: meetings in the boardroom, “no guarantees” about Alonso’s job, and questions about whether the club is already tired of its new project.

But here’s the truth every neutral observer can see clearly: sacking Xabi Alonso would be madness.

The pressure around Real Madrid vs Manchester City feels exaggerated

Alonso

According to sources around the club, senior figures at Madrid have discussed Alonso’s situation in recent days, frustrated by a stretch of just one La Liga win in five matches. If that is enough to rattle a club that spent the summer preparing a new era built around Alonso, then the plan was never a plan—it was a gamble.

And on paper, the pressure is cruelly well-timed. Madrid’s next opponent? Manchester City, coached by Pep Guardiola, the very man who changed modern football and the architect of so many nightmares for coaches across Europe. Facing Pep on the brink of being sacked is like turning up to an exam with no sleep and two broken pencils.

Guardiola, for his part, refuses to fan the flames. He said before the match: “I wish Xabi all the best, but his future is an answer I don’t know. To beat Real Madrid in this competition, it’s not enough to be better—you have to be much better.”

Pep knows the terrain well: at Madrid, there is no luxury of patience. Winning is the minimum. Dominating is expected. And anything less is seen as weakness.

Xabi Alonso earned a chance to build, not survive

This is the key point Madrid must remember. Xabi Alonso did not walk through the doors as a rookie with no record to his name. He arrived as the most exciting young coach in European football—fresh from delivering Bayer Leverkusen their first-ever Bundesliga title, breaking down Bayern Munich’s dominance, and doing so with attacking, flowing football that caught the eye of every major club on the continent.

He could have gone anywhere—England, Germany again, even Liverpool waited patiently—but he chose Real Madrid. He chose the pressure. He chose the expectations. And he deserves the time to work through the growing pains.

It is easy to forget the obvious: four points in La Liga is nothing. A single swing in form, an unexpected derby result, a momentum shift in spring—and suddenly everything looks different. Madrid knows this better than anyone.

Managing the egos is Alonso’s biggest challenge

Where Alonso faces his real test is not tactics, or formation, or rotations—it is the personalities. Madrid’s dressing room is overflowing with talent and ego: Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Endrick, all pushing for status, minutes, and influence.

We’ve already seen tension between Alonso and Vinicius, a clash that would intimidate most coaches. But for Madrid to thrive, the head coach must be bigger than the stars. Managers like Zidane, Capello, and yes, even Ancelotti, all succeeded by putting pressure in the right places and moving players out when needed. Alonso will need time—and authority—to do the same.

It is not outrageous to imagine that a summer reset might happen: some big names will leave, the squad will reshape, and Alonso’s vision will come into focus. But that requires something Madrid rarely give: patience.

Arsenal showed what patience can do

If Madrid want inspiration, look at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta spent three years learning on the job, with the club backing his project through brutal moments: big defeats, public criticism, and a squad overhaul that took guts. Today, Arsenal are Premier League contenders and one of the most coherent teams in Europe.

Madrid can argue they do not have the time to experiment—but this is not about a mid-table rebuild. This is about a club with incredible firepower going through an adjustment phase under a manager who knows where he wants to go. The early signs are already visible: wins against Barcelona and Juventus, flashes of breathtaking football, patterns forming even in the chaos.

A rough winter does not erase a promising foundation.

Madrid must look beyond a single Champions League night

So, should Madrid sack Alonso if they lose to Manchester City in the Champions League? The idea itself is ridiculous. A club of Madrid’s stature should not be shaken by a knockout clash against the most dominant team in Europe. Losing to City is not a crisis—it is normal. Guardiola beats everyone.

Real Madrid built their new era around Alonso because of his talent, intelligence, and connection to the badge. One game—no matter how big—should not erase that vision.

If the board was serious about this project, now is the time to prove it. Stick with the coach. Accept the bumps. And trust the work.

Madrid is a club that demands stars to shine brightest under pressure. It is time for the club itself to do the same.