Xabi Alonso expressed his understanding of the whistles from the Bernabéu crowd following Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, while emphasizing that there was “nothing to criticize” about his team’s performance.
With Kylian Mbappé sidelined due to injury, Rodrygo managed to give Madrid the lead in the first half, ending his 32-game goal drought. However, Nico O’Reilly equalized for City, followed by a penalty from Erling Haaland that put the visitors ahead.
Madrid and Alonso entered the match under significant pressure after a 2-0 loss at home to Celta Vigo on Sunday, marking just one win in their last five La Liga games. Reports from ESPN highlighted a meeting among club executives to discuss the coach’s future.
“Whistles can occur when you don’t win at home,” Alonso remarked in the postmatch press conference. “We could feel the crowd’s energy, encouraging the team when it was most needed. If there were whistles at the end, we can comprehend and accept it. The expectations are incredibly high.”
Madrid started the season strongly, securing 11 wins from their first 12 La Liga matches. However, a Champions League defeat to Liverpool last month triggered a downturn that included draws against Rayo Vallecano, Elche, and Girona, followed by the defeat to Celta.
Alonso’s management approach and the performances of key players have been under scrutiny, particularly amidst an injury crisis that had eight first-team players, including Mbappé, missing for the match against City.
“The team fought until the end, and despite the challenge of injuries, the players gave their all,” Alonso said on Wednesday. “I have nothing negative to say about today’s effort.”
“The results in November and December haven’t met our expectations. We hold ourselves accountable, but we must continue working and trust that this phase will pass.”
Midfielder Jude Bellingham affirmed that the players fully support the coach.
“The manager has been fantastic,” Bellingham told TNT Sports. “I have a strong rapport with him, as do many others. After our initial string of draws, we held some important internal discussions. In our recent games, we’ve fallen short again, but everyone remains committed and focused. No one is throwing in the towel or thinking the season is over.”
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rejected the notion that the match against City was an “exam” for Alonso.
“We don’t look at it that way,” Courtois told Movistar. “We want to win because we recognize the challenge we’re facing. We’ve already dropped too many points in LaLiga, and even though we’re performing well in the Champions League, we can’t allow ourselves to fall out of the top eight. Today, we demonstrated our support for the manager.”
Alonso praised Rodrygo for his goal and the celebration shared with the coach but was uncertain whether Mbappé would be available for Madrid’s upcoming match against Alavés.
“We still don’t know if he’ll be ready for Sunday,” Alonso stated. “He simply couldn’t participate today.”