Real Madrid hierarchy uneasy as Xabi Alonso seeks solutions - blame shared across squad and board

Real Madrid’s leadership is increasingly uneasy about the team’s direction under Xabi Alonso, but the coach is not seen as the sole problem. Internal reviews focus on an imbalanced squad build, a midfield lacking control after Kroos’ retirement, and a frontline still searching for synergy around Mbappé. Fans point to work rate and structure, citing Vinícius’ off-ball drop-off and a lack of a true tempo-setter. The conversation has shifted from finger-pointing to solutions: restore collective pressing triggers, add a progressive 6, and consider a winter move for a defender. Madrid want course correction without panic - and with accountability shared.

Context: After a patchy run of results in domestic and European play, senior figures in Madrid have conducted internal reviews of the team’s dynamics and tactical cohesion. Reputable Madrid-based reporting, including work by Mario Cortegana at The Athletic, indicates the hierarchy acknowledges Xabi Alonso’s growing pains in his first season while emphasizing structural issues in squad profile and availability. The discussion zeroes in on midfield control, pressing synchronization, and the transition balance when protecting leads. The club is exploring short-term adjustments and potential January options to stabilize performance without abandoning the long-term plan.

🚨 Real Madrid's hierarchy are concerned about the team’s situation and Xabi's difficulties in finding the right path. However, Alonso is not seen as the only one to blame. @MarioCortegana @TheAthleticFC

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

From a data and tactical lens, this is less about a single figure and more about misaligned profiles. Madrid lost reliable tempo control when Toni Kroos retired, and while Luka Modric still offers elite decision-making, the team’s base now swings between Tchouaméni’s ball-winning and Valverde’s vertical bursts. The result is a possession shape that can tilt too quickly into chaos when the first press is bypassed. Jude Bellingham thrives closer to goal, which further reduces the number of natural organizers in deeper zones.

Up front, Kylian Mbappé’s gravity remains immense, but his best work comes when he can attack space from the left half-channel. That requires coordinated rotations with Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, plus a clear rest-defense structure behind them. If the first and second pressing lines are not synchronized, Madrid concede larger stretches of territory and more entries into the defensive third than they would like. The team’s field tilt fluctuates, and high regains are not consistently turning into controlled chances.

Personnel-wise, a progressive 6 who can drop between center-backs, receive under pressure, and switch play cleanly would stabilize build-up and reduce transition exposure. A right-sided defender comfortable defending big spaces would add margin for error when the line steps up. These are solvable issues, but they require clarity in roles and a tighter connection between recruitment and the model of play Alonso wants to implement.

Reaction

The community feedback converges on one theme: it is not just on Alonso. Several fans called out application and structure. One highlighted Vinícius Júnior’s pressing drop-off early in the match, noting too much energy went into arguing with the referee instead of off-ball work. Another pointed at recruitment, arguing the squad was built with overlapping profiles while the club turned down Alonso’s request for a midfielder and a striker.

Others suggested the coach is becoming a scapegoat for broader underperformance. The squad, they say, is not operating as a collective unit, with spacing and trigger timing off by a beat. A recurring thread is the midfield - supporters argue Madrid miss a controller and a true pivot who can dictate rhythm in tight spaces. Multiple voices advocated for a winter solution: a tempo-setting midfielder and at least one defender to restore balance.

There is also a plea for patience. It is Alonso’s first season, and some fans insist time is needed to embed automatisms. Still, frustration simmers at the hierarchy level too, with a few accusing decision-makers of dozing during matches rather than diagnosing problems in real time. The mood is demanding but not nihilistic: fans want sharper standards, clearer roles, and accountability shared from boardroom to dressing room.

Social reactions

They should not have clipped his hands after the clasico issue. Bloody bullshit board

Amal Josy Dileep (@Blanco___11)

The biggest problem Madrid has is the midfield, Madrid really misses and .

DIIRIYE Hawd & Reserve Area (@Khalidyuus69899)

Hey MadridXtra, let’s support the team and find solutions together!

Yana (@YanaHeat)

Prediction

Short term, expect Alonso to simplify risk in first and second phase. That likely means a steadier rest-defense with a more conservative fullback on the far side of the ball, Bellingham kept higher to protect his efficiency, and clearer pressing cues for the front three. Vinícius will be asked to lead the first wave more consistently, while Mbappé receives earlier diagonal targets to attack space without collapsing the left channel. Rodrygo’s role may toggle between wide balance and a second striker depending on the opponent’s build-out.

January is where Madrid can tilt the season. The most realistic move is a deep-lying playmaker who can receive under pressure and break lines with either foot. Profiles similar to Martín Zubimendi or Joshua Kimmich fit the need set - tempo, scanning, and defensive positioning - even if final targets will depend on availability and price. A versatile right-sided defender comfortable defending transitions would be the second piece, improving coverage when the line steps high.

Medium term, recruitment should track Alonso’s principles: two profiles at 6 and 8 that complement Tchouaméni and Valverde, plus a rotational 9 who pins center-backs to maximize Mbappé’s left-channel threat without cannibalizing Vinícius. If those adjustments land, Madrid’s PPDA and field tilt should normalize, high regains rise, and shot quality stabilize. With patience and two smart additions, a spring surge is very plausible.

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Conclusion

Madrid’s concern is justified, but the diagnosis is encouraging because it is specific. The team lacks a reliable metronome at the base and a bit of athletic coverage on the right side of the back line. Those are fixable. Alonso’s concepts are clear in flashes - aggressive field tilt, five-lane occupation, vertical surges - but the details have been inconsistent. That is common in year one, especially after a structural piece like Kroos exits and a high-usage attacker like Mbappé arrives, shifting gravity and habits for everyone around him.

The path forward blends coaching and recruitment. Tighten the press timing. Reduce exposure in transition by holding one fullback and staggering the midfield. Keep Bellingham in zones where he decides outcomes rather than build phases. Then, if the market opens, add a deep controller and a transition-ready defender. Crucially, the hierarchy should align signings with game model rather than names.

Alonso is not blameless, but he is far from the problem. Shared accountability is the only sustainable route: players commit to the work without shortcuts, staff sharpen the structure, and the board back the plan with the right profiles. Do that, and the ceiling remains elite.