Manager Alonso Walking a Fine Tightrope at Madrid Amidst Squad Backing.

No attacker in Real Madrid’s history had gone failing to find the net for as extended a period as Rodrygo, but eventually he was unleashed and he had a statement to deliver, executed for the world to see. The Brazilian, who had been goalless in nine months and was starting only his fifth game this campaign, beat goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the advantage against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and sprinted towards the sideline to greet Xabi Alonso, the boss under pressure for whom this could represent an even greater liberation.

“It’s a challenging time for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo said. “Things aren’t coming off and I wanted to prove people that we are united with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo made his comments, the lead had been taken from them, a setback following. City had turned it around, taking 2-1 ahead with “minimal”, Alonso observed. That can occur when you’re in a “sensitive” condition, he added, but at least Madrid had reacted. This time, they could not pull off a comeback. Endrick, on as a substitute having played a handful of minutes all season, struck the crossbar in the dying moments.

A Delayed Sentence

“The effort fell short,” Rodrygo admitted. The issue 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 remarked, but that was how it had been framed publicly, and how it was understood behind closed doors. “We demonstrated that we’re with the manager: we have performed creditably, offered 100%,” Courtois added. And so the final decision was withheld, consequences suspended, with fixtures against Alavés and Sevilla imminent.

A Distinct Form of Setback

Madrid had been beaten at home for the second time in four days, extending their recent run to two wins in eight, but this was a little different. This was a European powerhouse, not a domestic opponent. Simplified, they had actually run, the easiest and most damning charge not aimed at them this time. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a penalty, nearly securing something at the end. There were “a lot of very good things” about this showing, the head coach stated, and there could be “no reproach” of his players, tonight.

The Bernabéu's Ambivalent Reception

That was not always the case. There were spells in the latter period, as frustration grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At the final whistle, a portion of supporters had repeated that, although there was likewise pockets of appreciation. But mostly, there was a quiet flow to the exits. “That’s normal, we understand it,” Rodrygo noted. Alonso remarked: “There's nothing that hasn’t happened before. And there were moments when they clapped too.”

Player Unity Is Firm

“I feel the backing of the players,” Alonso declared. And if he backed them, they stood by him too, at least towards the media. There has been a coming together, talks: the coach had considered them, arguably more than they had accommodated him, meeting a point not quite in the middle.

Whether durable a remedy that is is still an matter of debate. One small exchange in the post-match press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s advice to stick to his principles, Alonso had let that implication to linger, answering: “I share a good connection with Pep, we know each other well and he understands what he is saying.”

A Foundation of Reaction

Most importantly though, he could be satisfied that there was a resistance, a response. Madrid’s players had not let Alonso fall during the game and after it they stood up for him. Part of it may have been for show, done out of obligation or self-interest, but in this context, it was important. The commitment with which they played had been as well – even if there is a danger of the most fundamental of requirements somehow being framed as a form of success.

The previous day, Aurélien Tchouaméni had stated firmly the coach had a vision, that their failings were not his responsibility. “I believe my teammate Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to change the approach. The attitude is the key thing and today we have witnessed a difference.”

Jude Bellingham, asked if they were behind the coach, also answered with a figure: “100%.”

“We are continuing trying to work it out in the changing room,” he continued. “We understand that the [outside] speculation will not be beneficial so it is about attempting to fix it in there.”

“Personally, I feel the coach has been excellent. I myself have a excellent rapport with him,” Bellingham concluded. “Following the run of games where we were held a few, we had some very productive conversations internally.”

“Everything ends in the end,” Alonso concluded, maybe referring as much about a difficult spell as everything.