SPORTS TODAY
Moods can sour quickly at Real Madrid but even then, the boos that rang around Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday following the team’s 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo were as clear a sign as any – manager Xabi Alonso is on the hot seat, just six months after taking the job.
Real Madrid’s near perfect start to the season has completely unraveled, sliding from a five point lead atop LaLiga to a four point deficit to Barcelona in the span of a month and change. They now have just one win in their last five league games, the UEFA Champions League serving as a reprieve of sorts with four wins out of five thus far. Even then, though, certain cracks are starting to emerge – a lack of cohesion is obvious just about every time Los Blancos play, a mixture of injuries and tactical issues piling up as they hit a rough patch.
It leaves them uniquely vulnerable against City, who may not be at the peak of their powers as Pep Guardiola rebuilds the team yet again but are still winning more often than not and boast one of the sport’s greatest cheat codes in Erling Haaland. Alonso will face off against his former manager at Bayern Munich, marking a fascinating test for the Madrid boss, who now has to prove his worth against Guardiola in the hopes of staying in the job.
SPORTS TODAY How to watch Real Madrid vs. Manchester City, odds
- Date: Wednesday, Dec. 10 |Time: 3 pm ET
- Location: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium — Madrid, Spain
- Live stream:Paramount+
- Odds:Real Madrid +180; Draw +280; Manchester City +130
SPORTS TODAY Alonso’s vision fails to come together
When Alonso succeeded Carlo Ancelotti as Madrid’s manager in late spring, he promised a revamp that would not only resemble his double-winning Bayer Leverkusen team but many successful teams that would allow Los Blancos to re-envision themselves with the modern game in mind. The hallmarks of Alonso’s Madrid were supposed to be a high, intense press and an intentional approach in attack, something that was beginning to come together in the early weeks of the season.
Their win in El Clasico in October was supposed to be a sign that things are trending in the right direction but Alonso’s side have failed to live up to the mark since. Injuries to the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Eder Militao have not helped but his team is not clicking despite notching 13 wins in 14 games to start the campaign. The characteristics Alonso has wanted to define his Madrid team are nowhere in sight – conceding goals is easier than it should be against a team that is surprisingly lax in defense, to the point that they have conceded nine goals in their last seven games across all competitions.
Alonso has yet to strike a true balance in attack, a problem he inherited but one he was also explicitly tasked with fixing. Kylian Mbappe has been the focal point of Los Blancos’ offense with 26 goals across all competitions this season but he is the only star with any consistency – Vinicius Junior has gone 11 games without scoring and Rodrygo, who almost exited this summer, is now on a 33-game goal drought. They may be overly reliant on Mbappe, too, winning just two games in which the France international has not scored.
SPORTS TODAY Conflicting personalities
Behind the lack of cohesion on the pitch is tension off it, with different personalities taking issue with Alonso’s approach. There are reports out of Spain that club president Florentino Perez may fire Alsonso if Real Madrid lose to City on Wednesday, Alonso potentially posed to join a list of 10 other managers who got fired after lasting anywhere from three months to a year.
Vinicius is reportedly unwilling to sign a contract extension with the club because of his difficult relationship with Alonso, according to The Athletichis current deal set to expire in June 2027. Higher-ups at Real Madrid also stuck around at the Bernabeu for several hours after the defeat to Celta Vigo to discuss Alonso’s future and whether or not his tactics-first approach works for a team defined primarily by its star power, according to the BBC.
SPORTS TODAY Alonso: ‘The team is united’
Perhaps out of obligation, Alonso struck an optimistic but professional tone in his pre-match remarks ahead of Wednesday’s clash against City, insisting his team is still on the right path.
“We’re all together in this,” he said. “We’re mentally ready to face everything that comes: the team is united, convinced that we can win tomorrow, no one has any doubts about that. It is the Champions League. We are at the Bernabeu. The atmosphere will be special. That creates a different energy, including in the players.”
Naturally, he fielded questions about whether the sense of togetherness he is trying to project, responding in the affirmative when asked if he believes the whole team is behind him. He then made a concession of sorts.
“Being Madrid manager is not about changing [the culture]; it is about adapting,” Alonso said. “We know the culture of Real Madrid pretty well; that is why it is the biggest club in the world. You have to adapt, learn a lot, interact with the players. Some days are good, some not so good. We have to face that with energy and positivity, that is the only way to turn things around.”
He also hoped the disappointment from Sunday’s loss can be translated positively into a strong performance against City.
“I’m looking forward to what’s coming and that starts tomorrow, [an opportunity] to turn ’round the anger,” Alonso said. “In our heads, there’s only City. In football, for better or worse, things change quickly.”
SPORTS TODAY Projected lineups
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois, Raul Asensio, Antonoi Rudiger, Alvaro Carreras, Fran Garcia, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Franco Mastantuono, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior
Manchester City: Gianlui Donnarumma, Abdukir Khusanov, John Stones, Nathan Ait, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Nico Gonzalez, Rico Lewis, and the Rijani Reijnders, Oscar Board, Oscar Board, Ergle Haaland, Ergle Haaland, Ergle Haaland, Oscars of Haaland.
SPORTS TODAY Prediction
He may have started the job a few months ago, but it’s already time to talk about Xabi Alonso’s job security, momentum perhaps swinging in Manchester City’s favor ahead of the most anticipated game on Matchday 6. Momentum is not the only reason to pick City — flawed as they are in Pep Guardiola’s latest rebuild, the ideas seem to be clicking more often than not, plus Erling Haaland’s always impressive form always makes them a contender. Pick: Real Madrid 1, Manchester City 2
