Alonso Navigating a Precarious Tightrope at Madrid Despite Player Backing.

No attacker in the club's record books had gone scoreless for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but finally he was unleashed and he had a declaration to deliver, acted out for the world to see. The Brazilian, who had not scored in nine months and was starting only his fifth appearance this campaign, beat custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma to hand his team the opening goal against the English champions. Then he turned and charged towards the bench to hug Xabi Alonso, the boss in the spotlight for whom this could signal an profound relief.

“It’s a difficult moment for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Performances aren’t coming off and I wanted to show everyone that we are united with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo spoke, the lead had been surrendered, a setback ensuing. City had reversed the score, going 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso observed. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” state, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had responded. On this occasion, they could not engineer a comeback. Endrick, on as a substitute having played 11 minutes all season, struck the woodwork in the final seconds.

A Suspended Judgment

“The effort fell short,” Rodrygo said. The question was whether it would be enough for Alonso to hold onto his position. “We didn’t feel that [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois remarked, but that was how it had been portrayed in the media, and how it was understood behind closed doors. “We demonstrated that we’re supporting the coach: we have played well, offered 100%,” Courtois affirmed. And so judgment was postponed, consequences delayed, with games against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon.

A Different Kind of Setback

Madrid had been defeated at home for the second match in four days, perpetuating their recent run to just two victories in eight, but this was a more respectable. This was a European powerhouse, not a La Liga opponent. Stripped down, they had shown fight, the most obvious and most harsh accusation not directed at them in this instance. With multiple players out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a spot-kick, coming close to salvaging something at the final whistle. There were “numerous of very good things” about this showing, the head coach argued, and there could be “no blame” of his players, on this occasion.

The Stadium's Ambivalent Response

That was not entirely the case. There were moments in the latter period, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had done so again, although there was in addition pockets of appreciation. But primarily, there was a subdued stream to the subway. “We understand that, we accept it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “There's nothing that is unprecedented before. And there were moments when they cheered too.”

Squad Backing Remains Evident

“I feel the confidence of the players,” Alonso affirmed. And if he stood by them, they supported him too, at least in front of the public. There has been a coming together, discussions: the coach had listened to them, arguably more than they had embraced him, finding somewhere not quite in the compromise.

How lasting a fix that is continues to be an open question. One seemingly minor moment in the after-game press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to follow his own path, Alonso had let that implication to linger, answering: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we understand each other well and he is aware of what he is talking about.”

A Foundation of Fight

Above all though, he could be content that there was a spirit, a reaction. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they stood up for him. This support may have been for show, done out of obligation or self-preservation, but in this climate, it was meaningful. The commitment with which they played had been too – even if there is a risk of the most basic of expectations somehow being elevated as a type of achievement.

The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a vision, that their shortcomings were not his responsibility. “In my view my colleague Aurélien said it in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The key is [for] the players to change the mindset. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have observed a change.”

Jude Bellingham, pressed if they were supporting the coach, also replied quantitatively: “100%.”

“We persist in attempting to work it out in the changing room,” he said. “We know that the [outside] chatter will not be helpful so it is about striving to sort it out in there.”

“Personally, I feel the gaffer has been excellent. I individually have a great rapport with him,” Bellingham stated. “Following the sequence of games where we tied a few, we had some really great conversations among ourselves.”

“Everything passes in the end,” Alonso concluded, maybe referring as much about adversity as everything.