If Real Madrid are La Liga leaders since Xabi Alonso's arrival on the bench, part of the dressing room would reportedly criticise the Spanish manager's authoritarian methods.
Real Madrid's victory against Barcelona (2-1) allowed the Merengues to take a five-point lead over the Catalan rivals in the title race. But this success also highlighted the White House club's internal problems, notably the visibly conflictual relationship between Alonso and Vinicius Junior. In a strange sequence captured by the match cameras, the Brazilian winger reproached his coach for having taken him off during the match.
Vinicius Junior celebrates for Real Madrid on October 4, 2025
Alonso's management is a source of debates in Spain
According to information from The Athletic, part of the Madrid dressing room believe that the former midfielder is trying to copy Pep Guardiola's methods. Which does not go down at all well with certain players, accustomed to Carlo Ancelotti's almost paternalistic behaviour. "He thinks he's Guardiola, but for the moment, he's only Xabi," reportedly confided someone close to the Madrid dressing room.
The media also add that before the Club World Cup, Alonso took over a dressing room stuffed with bad habits, such as on punctuality or the low intensity and concentration put into training sessions. The former Bayer Leverkusen coach warned his players that nobody was assured of being an undisputed starter and that everyone had to fight to have their place on the pitch, with new much stricter rules. A demand that did not please certain players, accustomed to doing the minimum. "Many players have won numerous trophies without all these rules and when they were imposed on them, they did not like it," confirms a source close to a Real player to The Athletic.
Xabi Alonso Rodrygo from Real Madrid, pictured in June 2025
Xabi Alonso must still win the dressing room's confidence at Real
Managing to win by creating a solid group and a clearly visible playing identity is one of Alonso's major projects at Real Madrid. And this, even if it means putting aside certain stars. Since the start of the season, a few players are unhappy with their status, such as Vinicius Junior, but also Rodrygo or Endrick, who has still not played a single minute.
The 43-year-old manager will therefore have to find the right recipe to maintain his dressing room's confidence. In the past, Guardiola was able to leave several stars by the roadside (Yaya Toure, Deco, Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Joe Hart) to shape his sporting project. A situation that could occur with Alonso. If he wants to last at Real Madrid, the Basque manager will be forced to find the solution to prevent his dressing room from imploding.
This article was originally published on Top Mercato.
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