Xabi Alonso Walking a Precarious Tightrope at Real Madrid Even With Player Endorsement.

No attacker in Los Blancos' annals had experienced failing to find the net for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but at last he was freed and he had a message to send, executed for public consumption. The Brazilian, who had failed to score in almost a year and was beginning only his fifth appearance this campaign, beat shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the lead against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he turned and sprinted towards the bench to hug Xabi Alonso, the manager on the edge for whom this could prove an more significant relief.

“This is a tough time for him, similar to how it is for us,” Rodrygo commented. “Results are not going our way and I sought to prove the public that we are united with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the advantage had been taken from them, a defeat ensuing. City had turned it around, going 2-1 ahead with “very little”, Alonso noted. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” state, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had reacted. This time, they could not engineer a turnaround. Endrick, on as a substitute having played 11 minutes all season, struck the crossbar in the final seconds.

A Delayed Verdict

“The effort fell short,” Rodrygo said. The dilemma was whether it would be enough for Alonso to hold onto his role. “We didn't view it as [this was a trial of the coach],” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois insisted, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was felt privately. “We have shown that we’re with the manager: we have performed creditably, provided 100%,” Courtois affirmed. And so judgment was postponed, sentencing pending, with fixtures against Alavés and Sevilla imminent.

A Different Kind of Setback

Madrid had been overcome at home for the second match in four days, perpetuating their recent run to two wins in eight, but this seemed a little different. This was the Premier League champions, not a lesser opponent. Stripped down, they had shown fight, the easiest and most damning criticism not levelled at them this time. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a opportunistic strike and a spot-kick, almost securing something at the end. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the head coach said, and there could be “no criticism” of his players, not this time.

The Fans' Ambivalent Response

That was not always the complete picture. There were spells in the latter period, as irritation grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At full time, a portion of supporters had done so again, although there was also pockets of appreciation. But mostly, there was a muted procession to the subway. “It's to be expected, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo said. Alonso stated: “It’s nothing that hasn’t happened before. And there were times when they cheered too.”

Dressing Room Support Stands Firm

“I have the confidence of the players,” Alonso declared. And if he supported them, they stood by him too, at least in front of the cameras. There has been a rapprochement, conversations: the coach had listened to them, perhaps more than they had adapted to him, reaching common ground not precisely in the center.

The longevity of a fix that is continues to be an matter of debate. One small incident in the after-game press conference appeared notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to do things his way, Alonso had allowed that notion to remain unanswered, answering: “I share a good connection with Pep, we know each other well and he knows what he is implying.”

A Foundation of Resistance

Crucially though, he could be pleased that there was a fight, a response. Madrid’s players had not abandoned their coach during the game and after it they publicly backed him. Part of it may have been for show, done out of obligation or self-preservation, but in this context, it was important. The effort with which they played had been as well – even if there is a temptation of the most fundamental of expectations somehow being promoted as a form of success.

Earlier, Aurélien Tchouaméni had insisted the coach had a vision, that their mistakes were not his doing. “I believe my colleague Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to change the attitude. The attitude is the linchpin and today we have seen a change.”

Jude Bellingham, asked if they were supporting the coach, also responded in numbers: “100%.”

“We’re still attempting to figure it out in the changing room,” he continued. “We understand that the [outside] chatter will not be productive so it is about trying to sort it out in there.”

“Personally, I feel the manager has been excellent. I personally have a strong rapport with him,” Bellingham concluded. “Following the spell of games where we tied a few, we had some really great conversations among ourselves.”

“Every situation ends in the end,” Alonso philosophized, perhaps speaking as much about adversity as everything.