The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future.
Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao.
The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest defeat. Madrid have just two wins in eight games with back-to-back home losses.
Photo: AFP
Players faced jeers at Santiago Bernabeu at the final whistle.
“We know it’s a tough moment for us and for the coach,” winger Rodrygo said. “Things are not going our way and I wanted to show that we are behind our the coach. He has been trying. I wanted to show that we are together and we need to be united to keep moving forward and achieve our goals.”
Rodrygo had put Madrid in front in the 28th minute, but goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland before halftime sealed City’s victory.
Alonso looked frustrated on the sidelines as he watched his blunt attack waste chances to salvage something in the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappe, who was an unused substitute.
Vinicius Junior failed to hit the target with two chances from close range and Jude Bellingham lifted another effort over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Asked if he was worried about his future, Alonso said: “I’m worried about our next match. The important thing here is Real Madrid. It’s about the team, the players and how I can help them. This isn’t about me.”
Bellingham said the squad was “100 percent” behind Alonso.
“The noise will not be helpful. So it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room,” Bellingham told TNT Sports.
Record 15-time European champions Madrid are seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16.
“As a player inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around,” Bellingham said.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, SSC Napoli lost 2-0 at SL Benfica, Juventus beat Pafos 2-0, Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 against Newcastle United, Bodo/Glimt sealed a 2-2 draw at Borussia Dortmund, Ajax fought back to a 4-2 against Qarabag and Copenhagen beat Villarreal 3-2.
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