Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid revolution has caused an early rift with big stars - The Athletic

The recent La Liga match between Real Madrid and Barcelona was particularly significant for manager Xabi Alonso, as it came amid intense pressure following a 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid, which had drawn sharp criticism and derailed the positive atmosphere around his start at the club. This loss, along with earlier concerns from a 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup, raised doubts about the team's ability to perform in high-stakes games, despite winning all other matches this season.

Alonso and his staff felt that failing to deliver good results in a crucial run of fixtures against Juventus, Barcelona, and Liverpool could lead to disciplinary action from the club, metaphorically described as being "shown a yellow card." They secured a 1-0 victory over Juventus and a 2-1 win against Barcelona, which extended Real Madrid's lead in La Liga to five points over the defending champions and maintained a perfect record in the Champions League with three wins ahead of the upcoming match against Liverpool.

The Clasico victory was especially important for Alonso and his coaching team, as it alleviated some of the immense pressure from the club's high expectations and strengthened his position. Additionally, it marked a positive step in improving his relationship with the players, as tensions had been growing due to dissatisfaction with his management style and the significant changes he implemented since arriving in the summer, which went beyond isolated incidents like Vinicius Junior's reaction to being substituted.

Upon taking over from Carlo Ancelotti in June, Alonso encountered a dressing room with habits he deemed unsuitable for a football team, with sources noting "many bad habits" had developed. He immediately emphasized the need for increased effort, particularly in defensive work when the opposition had possession, and made it clear that no player's position was guaranteed without meeting these demands.