NO REPRIEVE FOR XABI ALONSO
Heading into Wednesday night's encounter with Manchester City, the future of Xabi Alonso in the dugout seemed as uncertain like a tortilla tossed in a pan. Just 14 games since his appointment, the solitary major stain on the 44-year-old’s copybook had been an unacceptable 5-2 hammering at the hands of their city rivals. However, from the beginning of last month, Madrid have managed just three in nine, with arguably their worst performances being draws with perceived Spanish league cannon fodder, and ending with Sunday’s embarrassing home defeat at the hands of Celta Vigo.
In the Bigger Cup, they still appear likely to secure an all-important quarter-final place even after their reverse to City, a defeat that was met with loud boos of disapproval by demanding fans that had witnessed injury-hit team play reasonably well.
"When you don’t win in your own stadium that can happen," admitted the coach of the reaction from the notoriously demanding faithful. "The team kept going, we fought until the end and with all the difficulties we have [with injuries] everyone gave everything. Today I have nothing to fault. The results over the past two months haven’t been good, not up to our standards. We’re self-critical, but have to keep working and believing it will pass."
Amid speculation the club's overpaid prima donnas have little or no truck with Alonso's demands for tactical drills, endure long-winded video presentations and compulsory evening classes on the economic history of fishing in Galicia, there was plenty of public backing for the under-pressure boss.
Upon scoring their opener, the Brazilian forward high-fived his manager on the touchline, with both the goalkeeper and Jude Bellingham offering supportive post-match references in front of the TV cameras. "The boss has been excellent," tooted Bellingham, in what some might call excessive flattery he might do well to replicate next time he joins the national team. "I’ve personally got a great relationship with him, a lot of the lads do as well. After the first run of games when we had some draws, we held productive talks within the group. Recently, we have simply not been good enough once more. But no one is giving up, no one is grumbling or whining, thinking our campaign is finished."
While it would be unusual for the UK press to distort what Bellingham says to suit some weird agenda, it could be argued that in stating many of his colleagues have a good relationship with Alonso, he was tacitly implying that a significant number do not. The Brazilian winger has evidently had disagreements with his boss and the winger is widely reported to have informed the club's hierarchy he will not ink a contract extension as long as Alonso is the coach. One wonders what the Brazilian thought about Thursday morning’s coverage in Spain, that offered Alonso a free pass for this defeat and instead placed responsibility firmly on Viní’s wasteful feet.
STATEMENT FROM THE NEWS
"Free speech and privacy rights are universal human rights. No supporter surrenders those rights just because they cross a border. This measure introduces an intimidating environment of surveillance that directly contradicts the welcoming, open spirit the tournament is meant to embody and it must be withdrawn at once" – a supporters' group director, the head of Football Supporters Europe, condemns a proposed policy requiring fans travelling to the United States for the GWC to provide details about their social media profiles.
