Xabi Alonso defends benching Endrick and Gonzalo, says others created enough danger

Xabi Alonso addressed questions about leaving Endrick and academy forward Gonzalo Garcia on the bench, insisting his chosen attackers offered enough threat. The response sparked a wave of criticism, with fans pointing to a lack of end product and frustration over using Eduardo Camavinga wide. As a retired pro, I understand a coach backing his senior forwards, but I also know when a team lacks penalty-box presence. Endrick brings direct runs and a nine’s instinct. Gonzalo offers energy and timing. If Real Madrid’s attack keeps stalling, pressure will mount for a change in roles and minutes.

Post-match, after a low-yield attacking display that left supporters dissatisfied, the head coach justified his selection by noting there were already forwards on the pitch capable of creating danger. The comments came in the immediate aftermath of a game where control did not translate into clear, repeatable chances, raising questions about role allocation in the front line and the omission of a natural finisher from the bench options.

🗣 Xabi Alonso: "No Endrick or Gonzalo? We had other forwards on the pitch to create danger."

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

I have been in dressing rooms where a manager doubles down on his frontline and insists the structure is fine. Sometimes it is. But this version of Madrid lacks a pure penalty-box reference when the opposition sits deep. That is where Endrick fits. He attacks the front post, rolls center backs, and forces cutbacks to matter. Gonzalo Garcia, while raw, brings verticality and a bit of chaos that unsettles compact blocks.

Playing a midfielder like Camavinga wide might help with rest defense and ball progression, but it dilutes the last-line threat. You get sterile possession and half-chances. Rodrygo is elite between the lines and in transition, not as a lone target when the box is crowded. Without a nine’s gravity, fullbacks can stay narrow, center backs step out, and wingers receive to feet instead of on the move.

From a squad-management angle, withholding minutes from young strikers can cap your ceiling. Even 20 minutes for Endrick changes the picture late: near-post darts, second-ball pressure, rebounds. The coach’s logic about “creating danger” is understandable, yet danger only counts when it bends defenses or produces shots from prime zones. Right now, Madrid’s threat profile skews toward circulation rather than incision. A tweak in profiles - not wholesale system change - could rebalance control and punch.

Reaction

The fan mood is sharp and sarcastic. Many asked what danger was actually created, echoing the line: is the danger in the room with us. Others hammered the choice to park Camavinga on the right, reading it as a needless experiment when a natural forward was available. A recurring theme was frustration with the frontline’s end product, with some pointing at perceived scoring droughts and calling for Endrick to break the stalemate.

I read the same sentiment across multiple threads: if control doesn’t turn into goals, give the hungry kid minutes. Gonzalo Garcia got shoutouts as a fearless option for low-block games. Supporters are clearly tired of sterile domination and want more penalty-box touches, more runs behind, and less shuttling the ball wide to recycle. The post-match quote poured fuel on that fire, not because it was inflammatory, but because it felt disconnected from what fans just watched.

There’s also interview fatigue. Fans want accountability and clarity, not familiar platitudes. In short, the timeline leans toward change, not patience. This is Madrid - the bar sits higher, and they know it.

Social reactions

Mbappe has always been outside the penalty box when the team is attacking.

Thrsdy ! 🦉 (@Thrsdyaftrnoon)

Danger to your managing career? What danger?

93 (@thePhantom__one)

I really believed in Xabi I can’t believe he’s proving me wrong like this What crap is that? What danger are you talking about when you 3 LWs were the worst in the pitch?

Ixplore_RMA (@IxploreRMA)

Prediction

Short term, I expect a compromise. Endrick will start getting scheduled cameos around the 60-70 minute mark in tighter matches, with a full start in a controlled home fixture or early-round cup tie. That is the low-risk route for a coach who wants to maintain hierarchy while appeasing the fanbase and refreshing the attack profile.

Tactically, look for a small shift: a winger stays wide to stretch, a midfielder holds the half space, and Endrick pins the line. That unlocks cutbacks and second balls, which suit Madrid’s midfield runners. Gonzalo Garcia could be the late-game disruptor - pressing high, attacking the near post, and winning fouls that tilt territory.

If the team scores early in upcoming games, the current selection will hold. If chance quality stays flat, the pressure to start a true nine will become irresistible. The internal data will decide this quickly: touches in the box, runs behind, and shot locations. My gut, from years on the pitch, says we will see Endrick’s first run of starts before long. You can only argue with the penalty area for so long before it argues back.

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Conclusion

Coaches always back their choices. I respect that. But good management is about blending control with edge. Madrid have the control. The edge needs a finisher’s movement. Endrick is built for that role, and Gonzalo Garcia has the spark to force mistakes when legs are heavy. Neither needs to be a savior - they just need to tilt the geometry inside the box.

I’ve seen seasons change on one selection tweak. A striker arrives five minutes earlier than usual, the first cross is attacked, the stadium wakes up, and suddenly the team looks a yard faster. That is the opportunity on the table. Keep the platform, add the punch. If Alonso times it right, he protects the veterans, accelerates the kids, and keeps the crowd with him. And if goals still don’t come, at least the team will fail doing the right things in the right zones. In this shirt, that matters.