Alonso Walking a Precarious Line at Real Madrid Amidst Squad Support.

No attacker in Los Blancos' history had endured failing to find the net for as such a duration as Rodrygo, but eventually he was freed and he had a statement to send, acted out for the world to see. The Brazilian, who had been goalless in almost a year and was beginning only his fifth game this term, beat shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma to give them the lead against Pep Guardiola's side. Then he spun and charged towards the sideline to hug Xabi Alonso, the coach in the spotlight for whom this could signal an more significant liberation.

“This is a challenging period for him, like it is for us,” Rodrygo stated. “Performances aren't working out and I aimed to prove the public that we are as one with the coach.”

By the time Rodrygo addressed the media, the lead had been taken from them, another loss taking its place. City had reversed the score, going 2-1 ahead with “not much”, Alonso observed. That can occur when you’re in a “fragile” situation, he elaborated, but at least Madrid had reacted. On this occasion, they could not engineer a comeback. Endrick, brought on having played very little all season, hit the bar in the final seconds.

A Delayed Sentence

“It proved insufficient,” Rodrygo admitted. The dilemma was whether it would be sufficient for Alonso to hold onto his job. “We didn’t feel that [this was a trial of the coach],” veteran keeper Thibaut Courtois insisted, but that was how it had been presented externally, and how it was perceived internally. “We have shown that we’re supporting the coach: we have given a good account, offered 100%,” Courtois concluded. And so judgment was withheld, consequences pending, with fixtures against Alavés and Sevilla on the horizon.

A Different Type of Setback

Madrid had been overcome at home for the second time in four days, extending their recent run to a mere pair of successes in eight, but this felt a somewhat distinct. This was Manchester City, rather than a domestic opponent. Stripped down, they had actually run, the simplest and most critical charge not levelled at them on this night. With eight men out injured, they had lost only to a messy goal and a spot-kick, nearly securing something at the end. There were “many of very good things” about this display, the head coach stated, and there could be “no reproach” of his players, on this occasion.

The Fans' Muted Response

That was not entirely the complete picture. There were moments in the latter period, as discontent grew, when the Santiago Bernabéu had whistled. At the conclusion, a section of supporters had done so again, although there was in addition some applause. But primarily, there was a muted flow to the exits. “We understand that, we comprehend it,” Rodrygo commented. Alonso stated: “This is nothing that doesn't occur before. And there were times when they applauded too.”

Player Backing Stands Evident

“I have the support of the players,” Alonso said. And if he supported them, they backed him too, at least towards the cameras. There has been a unification, talks: the coach had accommodated them, perhaps more than they had accommodated him, finding somewhere not quite in the compromise.

How lasting a fix that is continues to be an matter of debate. One small moment in the post-match press conference seemed notable. Asked about Pep Guardiola’s suggestion to follow his own path, Alonso had permitted that implication to remain unanswered, answering: “I have a good rapport with Pep, we understand each other well and he knows what he is talking about.”

A Basis of Reaction

Most importantly though, he could be satisfied that there was a resistance, a pushback. Madrid’s players had not given up during the game and after it they publicly backed him. Some of this may have been for show, done out of obligation or self-preservation, but in this tense environment, it was important. The effort with which they played had been as well – even if there is a temptation of the most fundamental of standards somehow being framed as a form of success.

Earlier, Aurélien Tchouaméni had argued the coach had a vision, that their mistakes were not his doing. “In my view my teammate Aurélien put it perfectly in the press conference,” Raúl Asencio said post-match. “The only way is [for] the players to alter the approach. The attitude is the key thing and today we have observed a change.”

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

“We persist in trying to work it out in the changing room,” he elaborated. “It's clear that the [outside] chatter will not be productive so it is about trying to resolve it in there.”

“In my opinion the gaffer has been great. I individually have a great connection with him,” Bellingham added. “Following the spell of games where we drew a few, we had some really great conversations among ourselves.”

“Every situation concludes in the end,” Alonso concluded, possibly talking as much about adversity as everything.